Soaking in mineral waters has been a popular practice for many centuries, and for good reason. Geothermal mineral waters, which are naturally enriched with various minerals and nutrients that come from deep underground, have been known to provide a number of benefits. Whether you are looking to improve your skin or alleviate muscle pain, soaking in mineral waters can provide an excellent solution. In this article, we will explore some of the benefits.

May improve skin health and vibrancy

One of the most significant benefits people have reported from soaking in mineral waters is an improvement in skin health. Mineral waters contain high levels of minerals, such as sulfur, magnesium, and calcium, which can help nourish and moisturize the skin. Soaking in mineral waters can help remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and improve skin texture, leaving you with a brighter and smoother complexion.

Can relieve muscle pain and soreness

Another significant benefit of mineral waters is the alleviation of muscle pain and soreness. The heat and buoyancy of the water can help reduce inflammation, increase blood circulation, and loosen tight muscles. Minerals such as magnesium and potassium found in mineral waters have also been shown to help relieve muscle pain and cramps.

Stress and anxiety reduction

Soaking in mineral waters can also help soothe the body to reduce stress and anxiety levels. The warm water and minerals, work on the muscles and joints to help relax the body and mind, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation. The act of soaking in mineral waters can also be a meditative experience, allowing you to disconnect from daily stressors and focus on your well-being.

Helps support the immune system

Mineral waters have been shown to contain high levels of minerals such as calcium, zinc, and selenium, which can help boost the immune system. These minerals play a crucial role in the body’s immune function and can help fight off infections and diseases.

Alleviates symptoms of certain health conditions

Soaking in mineral waters has been shown to alleviate symptoms of certain health conditions. For example, mineral waters have been shown to help reduce the symptoms of arthritis, eczema, and psoriasis. The minerals in the water can help reduce inflammation and improve skin health, providing relief for those with these conditions.

In conclusion, soaking in mineral waters can provide numerous health benefits. From improving skin health to alleviating muscle pain and reducing stress levels, mineral waters can help improve your overall well-being. If you are looking for a natural and effective way to improve your overall relaxation and sense of wellness, come on over and join us for a soak at Yellowstone Hot Springs!

*Disclaimer: Though there are numerous scientific studies regarding the benefits of mineral waters, Yellowstone Hot Springs does not claim that soaking in mineral waters will treat or cure any diseases.

Don’t miss this exciting event, right at our very own Yellowstone Hot Springs, August 10th, at 8pm!

Enveloped in a heavenly Montana sunset amongst the cathedral of the mountains be transported to the theatres of the world, and experience the power and grace of the Arts!August 10th, the most anticipated world class event of the Montana summer returns for an evening of magic and beauty on the banks of the Yellowstone! International superstars and Montana talents join together in “the last best place” for an unforgettable night of classical and contemporary dance, music, opera, Native American cultural traditions and more.

Past highlights have included dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, Russia, Bayerisches Staatsballett, Germany, Mikhailovsky Theatre, Russia, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Italy, New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and American Ballet Theatre. Native American Fancy Dancers, International Cellist, Opera Singer, & Musicians from Germany, London and Russia. Young Montana talent from Vagonova Ballet Academy, Russia, English National Ballet School in London, Manhattan School of Music in NYC and Crossroads School for Arts & Science, Santa Monica, California.

The Yellowstone International Arts Festival was founded by the “most influential ballet family of our time,” (London dance critic Graham Watts, April 2019) who were born and raised in Montana, and now work professionally around the world. It is produced by the non-profit Youth Arts in Action, a 501c3 which has been serving Montanans for more than 18 years, with an emphasis on youth and arts education.

Make sure to follow along on social media @yellowstoneintarts to keep updated on all the exciting announcements. Visit YellowstoneInternationalArtsFestival.Org or text 406-579-6414 for tickets & more information.

In our previous post we looked at how Sweden celebrates Christmas. Today we travel to France…

France Celebrates Christmas: Joyeux Noël

The French phrase les bonnes nouvelles means “the good news” and refers to the gospel. This is where the French get their name for Christmas, Noël. As with many of the European countries, Christmas is one of the most important holidays of the year. France has a unique geographic position working as the liaison between Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. Because of this, the people of France have adopted a variety of Christmas traditions.

The French have been influenced by both American and German seasonal traditions. One of these is the Advent wreath which consists of fir and pine branches that hold 4 pillar candles. These candles are lit on each Sunday leading up to Christmas.

Courtesy of Frenchmoments.eu

As we have seen from previous countries, the Christmas tree is a cornerstone of Christmas celebrations. French families are no different. France saw its first Christmas tree in Alsace in 1521, which was known as “sapin de noël” or “arbre de noël” The Christmas tree is one of the most popular traditions in France since the 16th century.

Traditionally Christmas trees were decorated with things like apples, ribbons, and paper flowers.

On Christmas Eve, in American traditions, children leave milk and cookies out for Santa. This has been part of the custom for generations. The old French custom was for children to fill their shoes with carrots and treats for Père Noël’s donkey by the fireplace. This tradition evolved into a more American tradition of Père Noël shimmying down the chimney of each home to bring presents for good boys and girls. His donkey has been substituted by 7 magical flying reindeer.

Le Réveillon Feast

Often times, children in France open their Christmas gifts on the evening of December 24. They have to wait until Christmas Réveillon dinner or after midnight mass has concluded. Le Réveillon feast usually includes things like a starter of snails, oysters, seafood, or smoked salmon. The main course would most likely be roast goose or turkey. And what French celebration with amazing food could be complete without wine.

Tradition of Gift Giving on Christmas

The symbolic act of gift giving to children on Christmas is meant to symbolize the gifts brought to Jesus by the Three Wise Men on January 6. Traditionally, French children were given a small gift and an orange for Christmas. At the conclusion of the WWII, and the increased American influence on France, the simple tradition evolved into the ceremonial expensive gift giving.

Many French families give thanks to public servants during the Christmas season by giving them money.

Do you know why people hang mistletoe above the doorways at Christmas time? The French would tell you that it is to bring good fortune for the upcoming year… So it is not to steal a kiss from your sweetie… hmmmm.

Some French families still follow the old tradition of exchanging gifts on January 6th, the Feast of Kings or Feast of Epiphany. This celebration brings a very exciting twist. The pastry that they enjoy, the gallette des rois (cake of kings), can have something special inside. The person who finds the elusive charm inside is named King or Queen for the duration of the celebration. They even wear a paper crown to symbolize their new found royalty. This also comes with a string attached. The royal winner must then provide the cake for the next party.

One of the most recognizable decorations that often grace homes, community gatherings, churches, etc. at Christmas time is the nativity scene. We all know the main characters that are set up for the nativity: Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus… But the French nativity may have some players that you don’t know about. What about the banker, fruit and vegetable sellers, local noblemen, a blind man, a woman selling fish, a scissor grinder, and a roast chestnut seller? Yes, that’s right… These additions may be found in the French nativity. You would be able to enjoy these nativity scenes all the way to February 2 as this is when they are taken down.

From all of us at Yellowstone Hot Springs, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Joyeux Noël!

Thanksgiving is a time for friends and family to come together to give thanks for the many blessings in their lives. This is something that is widely known and celebrated. However, what if there was more to know about Thanksgiving.? This got me thinking of some little-known facts about one of the most celebrated holidays…

courtesy of: https://newport.lib.nh.us

Fun Facts About Thanksgiving

1. Do you know who Sarah Josepha Hale is? She wrote “Mary Had A Little Lamb.” But this was not all she wrote. She is responsible for Abraham Lincoln finally making Thanksgiving a national holiday! How you ask? Well, she wrote numerous letters, over the span of 17 years, to Congress explaining the many reasons why he needed to recognize Thanksgiving as a national holiday. She was finally able to persuade Mr. Lincoln. On October 3, 1863, Abraham Lincoln finally recognized Thanksgiving as a national holiday…

2. The first Thanksgiving lasted 3 whole days! The harvest gathering in 1621 included 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians.

Ceremonial Thanksgiving Turkey Pardoning

3. Often times people say that the ceremonial turkey pardoning was started by Harry Truman. However, this would be inaccurate since he actually had the turkey that the National Turkey Federation sent him as his main course. The first president to bestow a reprieve on the gifted Thanksgiving turkey was John F. Kennedy. The tradition seemed to catch on, and Richard Nixon sent his wily bird to a petting zoo to live out his days. Finally, in 1989, George H. W. Bush shifted this turkey release into a ceremonial pardoning tradition.

4. Did you know that there is actually a turkey hotline? Well, there is… Travel with me for a second back to 1981, when a group of 6 home economists fielded phone calls through the holiday season to answer various cooking questions. Butterball actually answers more than 100,000 turkey questions from November through December. You don’t believe me? Next time you have a turkey crisis, or you just need a little gobble time, call the Butterball Turkey Hotline, 1-800-288-8372 (1-800-BUTTERBALL). They answer every poulterific (yes, we made that up) question you can think of, and probably some you haven’t thought of yet…

Tradition of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

5. Most people recognize the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, even if they have not seen it in person. Today, it is the largest parade, but do you know how it was started? In 1924, the organizers for the parade did not have access to the various sky-scraper-size balloons that we associate with big city parades. So, these organizers got together with the Central Park Zoo officials, and they had a parade with the animals from the zoo. The simple parade line up remained this way for the first 3 years, until the balloon introduction of Felix the Cat came roaring onto the scene. Parades have never been the same since.

6. Have you ever had a frozen dinner? Or gone to your grandparent’s home and found a frozen dinner in the freezer? Who would have thought that those frozen delicacies started because of Thanksgiving? Every year, upwards of 18 million turkeys are not selected to grace a family’s table for Thanksgiving dinner. The brain trust of Swanson got together and decided that they wanted to profit off of the left-over turkeys that were not sold. Therefore, they came up with these packaged meals that could be frozen, saved for later, and heated up when you need something quick to eat. Voila…. TV dinner is created.

Wait, is Big Bird Really a Turkey?

7. How many of us love Sesame Street characters? There is more than meets the eye when one is looking at Big Bird… And that is hard to believe. But, Big Bird’s feathers are TURKEY FEATHERS! What??? They are turkey feathers that have been dyed yellow. I am not sure I will be able to look at Big Bird the same again. 😊

8. Not all things can be done by both males and females. Male turkeys, or toms, make the tell tale “gobble gobble” sound we all know and love when we think about turkeys. Females cannot “gobble” at all. They can only make a clucking noise. Males use their ability to gobble and their sassy strut to attract female turkeys.

9. Where might we be today if Benjamin Franklin had his way? Although the Bald Eagle was selected as the national bird for the US. Benjamin Franklin had stated that he considered the turkey to be a “more respectable bird” and a “bird of courage.” I wonder if this had come to pass, then what would be for Thanksgiving dinner?

10. The US Virgin Islands have expanded on the Thanksgiving celebration. They actually have two separate Thanksgiving holidays. Although they celebrate Thanksgiving Day with the rest of the US, they have already had a previous Thanksgiving celebration on October 19. This is their “Hurricane Thanksgiving Day” to give special thanks for the islands being spared from hurricanes that year. This does mean that if they have had to endure a hurricane, then they would not be celebrating their “Hurricane Thanksgiving Day.”

This wraps up our list of fun facts about Thanksgiving. Hopefully there were one or two new ones you hadn’t heard before. We hope all of you enjoy this time with family and friends. From all of us at Yellowstone Hot Springs, we wish you all a warm and heartfelt Happy Thanksgiving!

We are open Thanksgiving Day for normal hours. Come join us for a relaxing soak before dinner, or an evening soak to watch the stars come out after.

Labor Day has oftentimes been a “party” weekend that ultimately marks the end of Summer while bringing in the expectations of Fall/Winter. This is a time for get-togethers, BBQ, and fun. People celebrate Labor Day in many different ways, from spending a family/friend weekend at home, to going out on the water, to just enjoying having an extra day added to their weekend. Who doesn’t love a long weekend, right? But there is more to the meaning of Labor Day than just an end-to-summer party. What is the meaning of Labor Day, and why do we celebrate on the first Monday in September across America and Canada? Just like with some other holidays, the meaning is in the name itself.

The basic definition of Labor Day is simply stated as a day held to honor working people. Well, if the vast majority of people have to work to survive, then why is this a celebration? Quick history lesson… In the mid 19th century, labor activists wanted to have some form of recognition for the many contributions everyday workers have made for the country. Without these important employees, where would America be today? Their dedication only enhanced and improved the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our great nation. In 1885, New York had passed an ordinance to mark the celebration for Labor Day. It took the federal government a little longer to catch on to the idea. However, on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland made it official when he signed into law an act designating the first Monday in September to be the officially acknowledged national holiday to recognize our labor force.

What did the first celebration of Labor Day look like? Well, in Manhattan in 1882, laborers took to the streets near city hall. Police were so concerned about a riot breaking out that they came out in full force. They were on high alert status, and their tension was said to be palpable. There was not a specific time for the parade march for the police to count on, and marchers did not show up until a bit later. With very little happening, those initial observers almost gave up on watching the parade. Then, before they knew it, 200 people from the Jeweler’s Union came down the street. That was the beginning of the party… In total, it is estimated that approximately 20,000 people came out to march that day!

This is all to say thank you to the working individual. The pioneers who paved the way for Labor Day are the whole reason many people can enjoy a 40-hour work week, benefits, sick/paid time off, etc. Without those fighters in the beginning, where would we all be today? So, after your hard-earned celebratory day, and when you are preparing to head back to work on Tuesday, remember to take a moment to say thank you to all who came before you who demanded that all working class individuals have the respect and recognition they deserve for their continued contributions and daily dedication to the forward progress of a great nation.

For this, and all you do, we at Yellowstone Hot Springs would like to thank you. If you didn’t get to share Labor Day with us, we are sorry we missed you. We hope you get to come out soon to enjoy a relaxing soak. If you decided to spend time with us during Labor Day weekend, we thank you and hope you had a great time. We look forward to seeing you here again soon!