Luckily my good friend Steph enlightened me: Tu B’Shevat is the New Year for Trees to the Jewish faith, or the cut-off date to calculate the tree’s bday. This prevents one from eating fruit from a tree younger than 3 (or cradle-robbing trees!)
To celebrate, customs are to eat a new fruit on this day, or a food from the Seven Species (shivat haminim) which are wheat, barley, grapes (vines), figs, pomegranates, olives and dates. Or you could plant a tree.
The holiday this year began during sunset last night – nightfall Feb 8, 2012… I suggest everyone either eats some fruits or plants a tree to help out the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Plant One Million campaign. Personally, I’m going to celebrate by eating a Mango (tree fruit) with a side of Greek Salad (olives) and sing Happy Birthday to my baby bonsai tree. (Isn’t he cute?)
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