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24 Festive Tasks, Door 6: November 11th Veterans' Day/Armistice Day
I requested to do today's door opening, as it is a holiday for many to reflect but more so for me and my fellow brothers and sisters in arms. My kids have school today, so I will be visiting both their classrooms to talk about the holiday (teachers asked if I would do this). Afterward, hubby and I are going out to eat and maybe head to Half Price Books to look around without being asked "are we leaving now?" twenty billion times.
However you celebrate, I hope you have a great day!
Door 6: Veterans / Armistice Day
Task 1: Sunrise services are a staple of this day: Take a picture of the sunrise where you live and share it with us.
Task 2: In keeping with the minute of silence, tell us about the authors who have passed this year that you will miss the most.
Task 3: Rosemary is for remembrance, but it’s great for chasing away moths, silverfish and other bugs that can damage books (and linens). Make a sachet with some rosemary, lavender, dried basil, etc. to keep on your bookshelves – post a picture of the results and let us know what combinations of herbs you used. A list of possibilities can be found here: https://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/12-plants-that-repel-unwanted-insects
Task 4:The Forest of Compiègne, just outside Compiègne, France, is the site of the signing of the 1918 Armistice. It was also the site of the signing by the French of a truce with the Germans following the German invasion in 1940. – Find a green space in your local area (or favorite area) and go for a walk or bike ride of a mile (or 1.61 km) and post a picture or screenshot of the map of where you walked / biked.
Book: Read a book involving a war, battle, or where characters are active military or veterans, or with poppies on the cover, or honor the ‘unknown soldier’ of your TBR and read the book that’s been there the longest.
NEW: Once you've completed a task or tasks, please use the handy form, located in the spoiler tags (to keep things tidy) to let us know. This will make tracking points MUCH easier for the 24 Tasks Team.
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Previous door's tasks are "beneath the fold"
Previous Doors' Tasks and Books
Door 1: Dia de Los Muertos
Task 1: Compose a limerick or short poem in honor of a favorite book character.
Task 2: If you like Mexican food, treat yourself to a favorite dish – and / or make yourself a margarita – and share a photo.
Task 3: Write an epitaph for the book you most disliked this year.
Task 4: Do you have any traditions or mementos of happy memories of a loved one that you feel like sharing?
Book: Reread a favorite book by a deceased author or from a finished series, or read a book set in Mexico or a book that either has a primarily black and white cover or all the colors (ROYGBIV) on the cover, or a book featuring zombies.
Door 2: Japanese Culture Day
Task 1: Tell us about a cultural festival or event in the area where you live.
Task 2: Try a flavor of Kit Kat other than chocolate and report back if you liked it.
Task 3: Try your hand at folding a paper crane. Instructions: https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-Paper-Crane-1/
Task 4: If you like Japanese food, treat yourself to a favorite dish.
Book: Read a graphic novel or a book set in a school or academic setting.
Door 3: Melbourne Cup Day
Task 1: Pick your ponies.*
Task 2: Roses are the official flower of Flemington Race Track; write your own “Roses are Red, Violets are Blue” poem for one of your favorite or most hated books of all time.
Task 3: Aussies shorten everything, so Melbourne Cup Day is just called “Cup Day” – post a picture of your favorite cup or mug for your daily fix of coffee, tea or chocolate.
Task 4: Prepare your favorite dessert – in a cup! Post a photo of it for us to enjoy vicariously.
Book: Read a book about horses, with a horse or with roses on the cover, about gardening, or set in Australia, or written by an Australian author.
* Ponies (horses) running the race will be posted here by Darth Pedant, guest hosting for MurderByDeath, as soon as they're announced, or thereabouts. The official field is published on November 3rd.
Door 4: Guy Fawkes Night
Task 1: Make a list of the top 3 treasonous crimes against books that an author can commit.
Task 2: Start a revolution: What one thing would you change about the book reading world? (Be it publishing, distribution, editing, cover art, bookstores – anything having to do with books.)
Task 3: Make a little straw (or wood / cloth / wool / fabric) effigy of the book character you like least.
Task 4:
How do you order the books on your shelves?
Book: Read a book set in the UK, a political thriller, a book involving any monarchy or revolution, a book about arson or related to fires and burning, a book whose plot involves costumes / fancy dress, or that has masks on the cover, or that is self-published.
Door 5: Bon Om Touk
Task 1: List / tell us about your favorite rainy day reads.
Task 2: String up some fairy lights around your books / bookcase / kindle and share a picture of the results.
Task 3: Dragons and dragon-like serpents (imugi) are important to Korean mythology (as they are to that of other Asian peoples). So – which are your favorite literary dragons (fictional, mythological, whatever)?
Task 4:The South Korean flag features images of ying / yang (the blue and red circle in the center) and four sets of three black lines each representing heaven, sun, moon and earth and, in turn, the virtues humanity, justice, intelligence and courtesy. Compile a list or stack – 4 books minimum – composed of books that either have opposing words in their titles (e.g., war / peace; asleep / awake – not necessarily both words in the same title), or that feature the words “heaven,” “sun,” “moon,” “earth,” “humanity,” “justice,” intelligence,” and / or “courtesy.”
Book: Read a book by a Korean author or set in Korea, that takes place at sea or on a river, where the plot involves a festival, where the moon or rain plays a pivotal role in the plot, or with rain, water or the moon on the cover.
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