It was a dark and stormy night. The ferocious wind shook the windows wildly, as though someone outside were beating on the glass. It was also New Year’s Eve. We were having our annual party and had a house full of people just starting to celebrate.

Suddenly, we heard loud explosions. Looking outside and up into the hills, we saw sparks(火花) flying from electrical transformers(变压器). One area after another went dark up in those hills. Then there was the loudest explosion of them all and our house went dark too. I tried to find every candle we had and lit them. The candles made everything look lovely. But we had problems. We had fifteen people standing around and we still had to cook dinner. How would we do that without electricity?

The barbecue! Why not cook on the barbecue? We men went outside, some holding flashlights and others cooking. We did a wonderful job. The women stayed inside and got the salads ready. Everything was delicious. There were still a few hours to go before the beginning of the new year, so we all sat around the dining room table and sang up until a few minutes before midnight. We couldn’t watch the ball drop in Times Square on television but that wouldn’t stop us from celebrating. I stood on a chair and, with the help of someone’s watch to tell us the time, we all counted down and I dropped a tennis ball! We all screamed Happy New Year. We didn’t need electricity for that!

Nowadays, we still get together with the same group to celebrate the New Year and we still talk about that special night. I don’t think we have ever laughed so much as we did on that New Year’s Eve.

2 . Books That Celebrate Diverse Holidays and Traditions

It’s important to remember there are a diverse set of holidays available to explore. Below are a few books that help introduce children to different holiday cultures and traditions.

Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto, illustrated by Ed Martinez

While helping her mother with Christmas celebration, Maria is tempted to try on her mother’s diamond ring. After getting caught up in the joy of the holiday and playing with her cousins, Maria realizes the ring is missing! That’s when she and her cousins come up with a plan to eat all of the tamales, in hopes of finding the ring.

Together for Kwanzaa by Juwanda G. Ford, illustrated by Shelly Hehenberger

This is a story about a little girl named Kayla who wants to see her older brother Khari come home so they can celebrate Kwanzaa together as a family. Khari is stuck at college when a snowstorm hits and his car breaks down. Will he make it home in time for Kwanzaa?

A Child’s Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

This book is a funny, nostalgic tale of Christmas Eve afternoon through Christmas night in Wales, and is full of unique imagery and poetic prose. It will arouse a sense of familiarity for some young readers while introducing them to different aspects of Christmas traditions.

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frane Lessac

The word otsaliheliga is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. This is an amazing story that describes a journey through the seasons with a modern-day Cherokee family. Cherokee history and traditions are also woven into the story in a very kid-friendly way.

4 . Canada is diverse and vast, and the festivals celebrated there reflect this. Here are some exciting ones that attract visitors worldwide.

Vancouver Celebration of Light

The largest fireworks competition in the world is held every summer in Vancouver. It consists of concerts, food stalls, and the Seawall Challenge, a popular urban adventure race. The festival, which lasts about a week, makes for a great way to get to know the city from a local standpoint.

Edmonton Folk Festival

From its humble beginning in 1980, Edmonton Folk Festival has grown to be one of the world’s famous folk festivals. Held each August, the lineup of the 10-day-long festival is always outstanding and ticket prices stay reasonable. Edmonton is also a gateway to Jasper and the Canadian Rockies, about two hours away in case you have extra time to explore after the festival.

Toronto International Film Festival

Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is one of the leading film festivals in the world, ranking closely with Cannes and Sundance. Films such as Hotel Rwanda, American Beauty, and The Big Chill made their premieres (首映) at this famous star-filled event held each September. The 11-day-long festival is also known as the kick-off of awards season, with many films that make their first public performance at TIFF going on to get nominated for Oscars and Golden Globe awards.

Montreal Comedy Festival

Since 1983, Montreal Comedy Festival, or, Just for Laughs as it is more commonly known, has been inviting people to get together just for fun, just for entertainment-just for laughs. The festival, which takes place every year for two weeks in July, has grown in popularity and reputation and today features some of the world’s greatest comedians and it also resulted in a television show that is broadcast internationally.

5 . Use this list of winter festivals to plan your trip or plan around them, as many of these festivals will tie up transport and accommodations and drive up prices. It’s all up to you: either plan your travel dates around them, or arrive early enough to jump into the festive atmosphere!

A day-trip away from South Korea’s capital Seoul, the Garden of Morning Calm is a must-see during the Festival. The lights there cover an area of some 330,000 square meters, using 30,000 colorful LED lights hanging from the trees. Wander around the fairy-like wonderland created by the lights-through such fields like Bonsai Garden, Moonlight Garden, and the Garden of Eden.

·Where: Gapyeong County, South Korea

·When: December-Mid-March

Millions of tourists visit this icy festival every year, drawn by the massive ice sculptures that decorate the fairgrounds next to Songhua River. The sculptures, ice palaces, mazes and slides are simply massive in scale, constructed from some 260,000 cubic yards of ice blocks harvested from the river. They range in size from life-scale carvings of animals and fantastic creatures, to massive 250-foot structures that tower over the crowds.

·Where: Harbin, China

·When: January 5-February 5

Japan’s biggest winter festival has expanded in size and scope since its first celebration in 1950.The Festival covers two main sites in Sapporo. The centerpiece Odori Park site features some 100 ice sculptures dazzlingly lit up after dark. The Susukino district site features a smaller scale of ice sculptures decorating the district. The sculptures cover animals both real and fantastic, including anime-based creatures like Pokemon. Visitors can also enjoy snow mazes, street food, musical performances and skating on the ice rink near Odori Park.

·Where: Sapporo, Japan

·When: February 4-11

The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival in Taiwan, China is Taiwan’s most visited lantern festival, lighting the skies with floating lanterns bearing messages for the gods. Its counterpart in the Yangshui District favors a noisier kind of illumination-the Tainan Yanshui Fireworks Display takes place at Tainan’s Wumiao Temple, where locals dare to be hit by small fireworks as a test of their strength and to ward off evil.

·Where: Pingxi and Yangshui, Taiwan, China

·When: February

7 . If Indian food is your cup of tea, please come to some food festivals in India.

National Street Food Festival

This is the most popular food festival in India, and with good one of the street food capitals of the world, where a walk around the city can be as attractive as dining in a five-star restaurant. All of the mouthwatering goodness comes together for this festival every January, where visitors can make a pig of themselves on much-loved street delicacies （佳肴）from all over the country.

Goa Food and Cultural Festival

The southern state of Goa is famous for its spicy fish, curries, cashew nuts and cold Kingfisher beer. It's easy to add a Goan beach vacation on a winter foodie tour. The annual food festival, which happens in January, has more than 70 stalls （货摊）set up in an open air market in the capital city, just a half-hour drive from the sunshine state's beautiful coast.

The Great Indian Food Festival

With more than 75 food stalls from 12 different states, this is perhaps the mother of all food festivals in India in terms of national variety. It takes place in Old Delhi, in early November, and features not only food from all over India, but various activities such as eating contests, cooking shows and cultural performances.

International Mango Festival

Who doesn't love mangos? In India, more than 500 varieties of its national fruit exist. Mango harvest is celebrated at the annual International Mango Festival which takes place every summer in Old Delhi. Visitors can expect activities such as mango-eating contests, mango carving and taking a bite of everything with mangos from stalls.

8 . The list of music festivals seems to double each year, so we think we’d save you some time by presenting our picks that reflect a deep sense of place.

New Orleans Jazz Festival

This week-long festival was established in New Orleans, America in 1970 to celebrate the city’s status as the birthplace of jazz. Headliners that attended the first celebration included singer Mahalia Jackson and pianist Duke Ellington. Over the years, this festival has grown to showcase much more than jazz. Attendees have long enjoyed the latest hit-makers alongside booths and exhibits featuring Louisiana’s native cuisine, arts, and crafts.

Newport Folk Festival

Founded by George Wein in 1959 and best known for introducing the world to the likes of Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, Newport Folk Festival is one of the oldest music festivals in America. Like New Orleans Jazz Festival, this Rhode Island event gives a false impression about the types of music one can expect to find, although it has been remaining true to its roots.

Interceltic Festival

When most people hear the word “Celtic”, they think of Ireland. But this festival takes place each summer in the heart of the seaport town of Lorient in northwestern France. While emphasizing music and dance, the ten-day festival also provides a platform for colorful expressions of Celtic art, food and drink, theater, literature, and sports.

Roskilde Music Festival

England’s Glastonbury, Hungary’s Sziget, and Denmark’s Roskilde are Europe’s three biggest music festivals. Roskilde stands out not only for its impressive and eclectic music, but for its nonprofit approach. All concert incomes are donated to support charities, music and cultural programs since its founding in 1971. With lake swimming, an on-site skate park, and an annual “naked run”, the event has earned a name for being a week-long summer camp for adults.