December 31, 2009 is one of those days when GiftDay has to get up out of its anniversaries and birthdays armchair and call attention to the fact that our planet is aligned today in gorgeous harmony with the sun and moon - and therefore the perfect opportunity to give someone who has a relationship with this date a GiftDay gift!
Yes, GiftDay knows that tonight's night sky will eventually parade a beautiful Blue Moon... but we also know that a partial lunar eclipse is in store for many of us... a very special, very rare event.
Partial and full lunar eclipses only occur a few times a year. The last time that a partial lunar eclipse occurred on earth was August 16, 2008. And the last time a lunar eclipse occurred specifically on New Year's Eve? We have no idea... because we've only been tracking lunar eclipses for the past 110 years and there hasn't been one in over a century.
So now you're going to ask: What's a lunar eclipse and when does it occur?
During lunar eclipses, the Earth passes between the sun and the moon. This blocks the sun's light from falling on the moon. Lunar eclipses only take place during a full moon and only when the Moon passes through a portion of earth's shadow created by the sun. If the entire moon falls in the earth's shadow, it's a full eclipse. If only a part of the moon falls in the earth's shadow it's a partial eclipse.
If you live in the Americas, don't expect to witness tonight's eclipse - you won't see it; the lunar eclipse will only be visible in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
No matter though. GiftDay still appreciates the significance of this date.
If you know anyone who had a baby today, December 31, 2009 - and there were more than 200,000 of them born today on earth, the best gift you could possibly get them (and their parents) would be something that honored this special date in time: a memory of the partial lunar eclipse.
Appropriate gifts? Telescopes of course. Or posters of lunar eclipses, or... or... the sky is the limit! Think outside the box. Forget the nappies or burp cloths or stroller toys. Get something that will be appreciated and remembered for its meaning and thought. Get something remembered forever, not just for the next few weeks or months.
The recipient will remember the meaning behind the gift, the person who gave the gift and the importance of the person who gave the gift. It will be good gift alignment and harmony for everyone.
And isn't all of this what the best gifts are all about?
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