Slayd jumisi

September 12 is the Day of Conception in Russia
Cultures typically approach sex, marriage and reproduction in unique ways. Russia may take the cake on this in terms of institutionalized acceptance, though. This is because the declining birth rates of the country coupled with the unequal proportion of women to men and the alarmingly short lifespans of Russian men pose as serious concerns for the society. Therefore, the government has instated a public holiday created solely to give couples time off from work in order to have sex in the hopes that doing so will result in pregnancy. Parents whose babies are born exactly nine months later can even win prizes for helping to keep the Russian bloodline going.
Groundhog Day in the U.S.
Many countries have rather strange holidays that commemorate their distinct histories. While the United States is a rather new nation, it has been around long enough to develop one odd holiday known as Groundhog Day. Since 1887, on February 2, the nation waits patiently to see if the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow. If he does, it means there will be six more weeks of winter. Perhaps even more bizarre is the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle of dedicated men who, according to tradition, tend to the groundhog while dressed in black suits and top hats at the lighthearted Groundhog Day ceremony each year.
Tipping in the U.S.
Another odd custom associated with the United States is its intricate tipping culture. Unlike many other countries who don’t tip at all or who only tip in small amounts when the food was particularly good, tipping is rather mandatory at most restaurants in the U.S. In fact, it is expected that patrons leave between 10-20 percent of the bill in tips. Wait staff rely on this gratuity for a living because legal wages for waiters are low. Further, there are rules for tipping bartenders, delivery people and other service personnel. While some criticize this practice as irrational, there’s no doubt that tipping culture in the U.S. gives an incentive for waiters and waitresses to provide better service.