Navidad 2011

Deseos navideños
¿Cómo, por la Navidad,
no voy a tener deseos
de a los otros regalar
si Tú, Señor, cuando vienes
cada año a Tu portal,
Te regalas a Ti mismo
al extraviado mortal?

Francisco-Manuel Nácher

Do you hear what I hear

"Do you hear what I hear"

"Somehow, not only for Christmas
But all the long year through
The joy that gives to others
Is the joy that comes back to you.
And the more you spend in blessing
The poor and lonely and sad
The more of your heart's possessing
Returns to you glad."

-John Greenleaf Whittier

A Christmas Treat

"A Christmas Treat"

"A Christmas candle is a lovely thing,
It makes no noise at all,
But softly gives itself away,
While quite unselfish, it grows small."

-Eva K. Logue

2011 Federal Holidays

Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) establishes the following public holidays for Federal employees. Please note that most Federal employees work on a Monday through Friday schedule. For these employees, when a holiday falls on a nonworkday -- Saturday or Sunday -- the holiday usually is observed on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday).

Friday, December 31, 2010*	New Year’s Day
Monday, January 17	Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, February 21**	Washington’s Birthday
Monday, May 30	Memorial Day
Monday, July 4	Independence Day
Monday, September 5	Labor Day
Monday, October 10	Columbus Day
Friday, November 11	Veterans Day
Thursday, November 24	Thanksgiving Day
Monday, December 26***	Christmas Day

* January 1, 2011 (the legal public holiday for New Year’s Day), falls on a Saturday. For most Federal employees, Friday, December 31, 2010, will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See 5 U.S.C. 6103(b).)

** This holiday is designated as "Washington’s Birthday" in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.

*** December 25, 2011 (the legal public holiday for Christmas Day), falls on a Sunday. For most Federal employees, Monday, December 26, will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See section 3(a) of Executive order 11582, February 11, 1971.)

Taken from http://www.opm.gov/Operating_Status_Schedules/fedhol/2011.asp