"Muffin-tin approximation The muffin-tin approximation is a shape approximation of the potential well in an crystal lattice. It is most commonly employed in quantum mechanical simulations of the electronic band structure in solids. The approximation was proposed by John C. Slater. Augmented plane wave method (APW) is a method which uses muffin-tin approximation. It is a method to approximate the energy states of an electron in a crystal lattice. The basic approximation lies in the potential in which the potential is assumed to be spherically symmetric in the muffin-tin region and constant in the interstitial region. Wave functions (the augmented"
"custom between 402 and 221 BC. Despite China's long history and many different geographical areas, there are essentially six rituals, generally known as the three letters and six etiquettes (三書六禮). Unfortunately for some traditional families, the wife's mother cannot go to her son-in-law's family until one year (according to the Chinese lunar calendar or Chinese Lunar New Year) after the wedding has elapsed. However, during this one year the daughter can go back at any time. Since the late 1990s , it has become popular to create an elaborate wedding album, often taken at a photography studio. The album usually"
"of a couple's entire wedding budget is spent on the reception alone. This is primarily due to the cost of food and alcohol. Wedding traditions vary between countries, and between regions of the same country. Some traditions include: Unless the wedding couple has a wedding registry, it is best not to give gifts or gift certificates. For Chinese weddings, cash or a cheque is always the best gift. In addition to that, some elder relatives might also give gold jewelry. The cash or cheque should be in a red envelope or red pocket with the givers' names on it, and"
"China stone China stone is a medium grained, feldspar-rich partially kaolinised granite characterized by the absence of iron-bearing minerals. It is mainly used for making porcelain, hence the name, and coatings for paper. Its discovery in the mid-18th century was a crucial event in the development of the English porcelain industry. The Quaker William Cookworthy (1705-1780) was probably the first to realize its significance, around 1745, though his attempts at commercial exploitation, culminating in the founding of Plymouth porcelain in 1768, did not achieve long-term success. A letter of a Dr Richard Pococke from 1750 reports being shown near Lizard"
"Marriage stone A marriage stone, nuptial stone or lintel stone is usually a stone, rarely wood, lintel carved with the initials, coat of arms, etc. of a newly married couple, usually displaying the date of the marriage. They were very popular until Victorian times, but fell out of general use in the 20th century. Many survive for aesthetic value particularly where well carved or of historic value. Many are part of or in the grounds of a listed building or in conservation areas. Marriage stones serve as a record of a marriage, the joining together of two families, especially important"
"widely marked as her Diamond Jubilee. The origins of the current gift conventions date to 1937. Before that, only the 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries had an associated gift. In 1937, the American National Retail Jeweler Association (now known as Jewelers of America as a result of an organizational merger) introduced an expanded list of gifts. The revamped list gave a gift for each year up to the 25th, and then for every fifth anniversary after that. Lists of wedding anniversary gifts vary by country. The traditional and modern U.S. versions were compiled by librarians"
"of earrings and a bangle selected by a groom's mother and presented to the bride during the tea ceremony. Since ""sì diǎnjīn"" is also the name of a traditional Chinese architectural style, a four-pointed curved roof found in traditional homes, the jewelry symbolizes a blissful union in a secure home. The Teochew also give flaky pastries similar to ""hopia"", as well as peanut candies. If the bride's grandmother is still alive, pastries called ""laoma gao"" (老嬷糕) are offered to her. The bride's parents may include the 嫁妝 [gaa jòng] (bride's dowry) (""jiàzhuāng"") along with the reciprocal gifts on the day"
"couple were married at the stone, but the groom committed an act of adultery on their wedding night. For this act he was cursed by the stone to spend eternity as a horse, never dying, and never able to leave that field. Marriage stone A marriage stone, nuptial stone or lintel stone is usually a stone, rarely wood, lintel carved with the initials, coat of arms, etc. of a newly married couple, usually displaying the date of the marriage. They were very popular until Victorian times, but fell out of general use in the 20th century. Many survive for aesthetic"
"food, such as peanuts and dates (in Chinese, the word for ""date"" is a near homonym of ""early"", while ""peanut"" is ""birth""). This is normally presented on the wedding day, with the wishes of giving birth to a child early in the marriage. Candles and paper cut ""Double Happiness"" are often seen on a wedding day as well. The bride price, which is given by the groom's family to the bride's family, varies from region to region. In Southern China, the bride price is much higher than in Northern China. After the betrothal gifts and bride price are negotiated and"
"coins symbolizing prosperity and fertility. A platter of steamed sticky rice, signifying the couple's unity, is placed on the table. Atop the sticky rice are a pair of cooked prawns, fried whole fish, boiled duck eggs and sweet potatoes. The couple then don ceremonial wedding headdresses (ဦးသျှောင်). Holy thread is then encircled and tied around the wedding table nine times. The couple partake in offering morsels of food to their parents. Then, the bride and groom take off their headdresses. The groom places his headdress on the bride's head, solemnizing the wedding. The Chin people have a wide-ranging number of"
"wedding traditions. The engagement is initiated by the groom's parents, who gift a bottle of alcohol to the bride's family in a rite called ""zuthawl pia"". After negotiating the wedding details, ta ""mopina"" ceremony is held to take the bride from her family home. The families haggle and exchange cash, and the bride's family equips their daughter with a basket, blanket, mattock, axe, and bottle (or in modern times, money and jewels). The introduction of Christianity has displaced some traditional Chin rites. Among the Asho Chin, shaman called ""pasung saya"" officiate and organize traditional wedding ceremonies. In a significant wedding"
"of honor, and the guest speaker. There will be cake cutting, toasts, a tea ceremony, some games designed by the DJ, and dancing. The two tables at the center of the room are for the groom’s and bride’s families. A Chinese wedding reception typically has nine or ten courses. Expensive dishes such as shark fin, abalone, lobster, jumbo shrimp, squab, sea bass, or sea cucumber are common on a wedding banquet menu. A whole fish, chicken, or pig means luck and completeness in Chinese wedding culture. Traditionally, after the fifth dish of the dinner, the groom and bride and their"
"gifts, potentially saving time for both giver and recipient. The Chicago-founded department store Marshall Field's first instituted the practice of a bridal registry in 1924 at its Marshall Field and Company Building as a means for the engaged couple to indicate chosen china, silver and crystal patterns to family and friends. US-based Target stores pioneered the electronic self-service gift registry in 1993, using a service provided by The Gift Certificate Center of Minneapolis. William J. Veeneman (the founder and CEO of The Gift Certificate Center) and others invented and subsequently patented the technology. Since the turn of the 21st century,"
"money contained in the envelope usually ends with an even digit, in accordance with Chinese beliefs; odd-numbered money gifts are traditionally associated with funerals. The exception being the number 9 as it pronunciation of ""nine"" is homophonus to the word ""long"" and is the largest digit. Still in some regions of China and in its diaspora community, odd numbers are favored for weddings because they are difficult to divide. There is also a widespread tradition that money should not be given in fours, or the number four should not appear in the amount, such as in 40, 400 and 444,"
"or ceramics such as tiles, sinks and toilet bowls are also happily thrown items. Metal objects such as tin cans and bottle tops are brought along to the festivities. Glass is not broken because for some glass symbolises happiness. Mirrors should not be broken due to the old superstition that breaking a mirror will bring seven years of bad luck. The couple must thereafter take care of cleaning up the pile of shards. This is supposed to make the couple aware that they will have to work together through difficult conditions and situations in life. Relatively new is the so-called"
"Hebrew word for ""life"", (""chai""), is the number 18. Monetary gifts in multiples of 18 are considered to be particularly auspicious and have become very common for the bar and bat mitzvah. Many b'nai mitzvah also receive their first tallit from their parents to be used for the occasion and tefillin where this is appropriate. Jewelry is a common gift for girls at a bat mitzvah celebration. Another gift for the bat mitzvah girl are Shabbat candlesticks because it is the duty and honour of the woman to light the candles. While the traditional age to hold a Bar or"
"Huangshan, Mao Feng, Bilochun, Putuofeng Cha, and Liu'an Guapian. China is the world’s largest exporter of green tea. One of the most ubiquitous accessories in modern China, after a wallet or purse and an umbrella, is a double-walled insulated glass thermos with tea leaves in the top behind a strainer. The importance of ""baijiu"" ( ""white liquor"") in China (99.5% of its alcoholic market) makes it the most-consumed alcoholic spirit in the world. It dates back to the introduction of distilling during the Song dynasty; can be made from wheat, corn, or rice; and is usually around 120 proof (60%"
"groom's side. Additionally, the bride's parents bestow a dowry (嫁妝, ""jiàzhuāng"", ""kè-chng"") to the bride. The selection of betrothal gifts varies by the ancestral regions of the bride and groom. In cases of intermarriage between various Chinese dialect speakers, brides typically follow the groom's ancestral traditions, not the other way around. The gifts are often in even number for the meaning of in couple and in pairs. Food items given to the bride include wine, oranges, and tea; while jewelry for the bride includes gold earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings. In some regions, they are also combined with some local"
"Tinsel Tinsel is a type of decorative material that mimics the effect of ice, consisting of thin strips of sparkling material attached to a thread. When in long narrow strips not attached to thread, it is called ""lametta"", and emulates icicles. It was originally a metallic garland for Christmas decoration. The modern production of tinsel typically involves plastic, and is used particularly to decorate Christmas trees. It may be hung from ceilings or wrapped around statues, lampposts, and so on. Modern tinsel was invented in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1610, and was originally made of shredded silver. According to the ""Concise"
"Chinese men did not wear rings, and were expected to have several concubines. A ring symbolizing marriage to only one spouse was not considered necessary. Modernly the material of wedding rings is not strictly prescribed; they may be forged of gold, rose gold, white gold, argentium silver, palladium, platinum, titanium, or tungsten carbide. Manual labourers sometimes wear rings of inexpensive or more durable materials like tungsten while working or bear an ink tattoo to avoid damaging a ring of precious metal or personal injury. Among the Amish, Castellani, and Hutterite communities of Canada and the United States, only married men"
"were being seen on non-royal ladies of means. By the 1920s, the tiara and similar tiara headbands became popular in the United States. They were worn not only with formal ballroom gowns, but became popular with the flappers and their parties. Tiaras made of plastic, rhinestones, Swarovski crystals, or any other non-precious material are considered costume jewelry. They are worn by women on special occasions such as homecoming or prom and at their quinceañera (fifteenth birthday) or wedding. They are also worn by the winners of beauty pageants and girls dressing up as Disney princesses. Tiaras are often worn by"
"a 25th wedding anniversary gift in 1888 by Lady Salisbury on behalf of 365 peeresses of the United Kingdom. She had always wanted a tiara in the style of a kokoshnik (Russian for ""cock's comb""), a traditional Russian folk headdress, and knew the design well from a tiara belonging to her sister, Marie Feodorovna, the Empress of Russia. It was made by Garrard & Co. and has vertical white gold bars pavé-set with diamonds, the longest of which is 6.5 cm (2.5 in). In a letter to her aunt, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Princess Mary wrote, ""The presents are"
"were called ""hard substance"" (Cantonese: 硬嘢). Instead, they wanted ""soft substance"" (Cantonese: 軟嘢), which was either a ten dollar or a twenty dollar note. Chinese New Year Chinese New Year is a Chinese festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese calendar. The festival is usually referred to as the Spring Festival in modern China, and is one of several Lunar New Years in Asia. Observances traditionally take place from the evening preceding the first day of the year to the Lantern Festival, held on the 15th day of the year. The first day of"
"groom's parents for the bride's parents' guests are settled. Up to three months or earlier before the wedding day, the groom will deliver the betrothal gifts to the bride's family on an auspicious date.送 The betrothal (, also known as 納彩 or ""nàcǎi"") is an important part of the Chinese wedding tradition. During this exchange, the groom's family presents the bride's family with betrothal gifts (called 聘礼 or ""pìnlǐ"") to symbolize prosperity and good luck. Moreover, the bride's family receives the bride price () in red envelopes. The bride's family also returns (回禮, ""huílǐ"") a set of gifts to the"
"Simplified Chinese: 春钱; Pinyin: ""chūn qián""), ""Chinese erotic coins"", ""Chinese wedding coins"" and many other names, are Chinese numismatic charms or amulets that depict scenes of sexual intercourse in various positions to illustrate how the newlywed couple should perform on their wedding night to meet their responsibilities and obligations to their family and Chinese society to produce children, dates and peanuts symbolising the wish for reproduction, lotus seeds symbolising ""continuous births"", chestnuts symbolising male offspring, pomegranates symbolising fertility, brans symbolising sons that will be successful, ""dragon and phoenix"" candles, cypress leaves, Qilins, bronze mirrors, shoes, saddles, and other things associated"
"secure relationships, and for newlyweds, symbolizes the beginning of a family with children. A Chinese candy box, called Tray of Togetherness or Harmony box, is a sectional tray which is used to serve bite-sized treats, such as candied melon, red melon seeds, candied coconut, and lotus seeds to wish guests a sweet new year. Many Chinese people think it is important to have flowers and plants decorating their homes for the Chinese New Year because they represent growth. Plants that bloom on the day of the Chinese New Year symbolize prosperity for the year. The two-day fair and its entertainment"
"it received a Gold Medal for its creative and striking design. It was acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York for the museum’s permanent collection. In 1961, Riedel Crystal introduced the first full line of wine glasses created for different wines. Riedel perfected these variety-specific wine glasses in 1973 with the introduction of his most notable glass collection, the Sommeliers Series, the world’s first gourmet glasses. Claus Riedel was honored with 28 design prizes and awards for his creations. Notable honors include: During his lifetime, Claus Riedel was married five times to four different women (he married"
"It is also featured as decoration on many items by Chinese luxury brand Shanghai Tang. Hong Kong lifestyle retail store G.O.D. designs many products themed with the double happiness symbol, including scented candles, accessories and Ming-inspired tableware and tea sets. Double Happiness (calligraphy) Double Happiness () sometimes translated as Double Happy, is a Chinese traditional ornament design, commonly used as a decoration and symbol of marriage. Outside of China, it is also used in the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia. Double Happiness is a ligature, ""囍"" composed of 喜喜 – two copies of the Chinese characters 喜 ("""") literally"
"Movie Day, and Hug Day. Korean women give a much higher amount of chocolate than Japanese women. In Taiwan, traditional Qixi Festival, Valentine's Day and White Day are all celebrated. However, the situation is the reverse of Japan's. Men give gifts to women on Valentine's Day, and women return them on White Day. In the UK, just under half of the population spend money on their Valentines and around £1.3 billion is spent yearly on cards, flowers, chocolates, and other gifts, with an estimated 25 million cards being sent. In Wales, some people celebrate Dydd Santes Dwynwen (""St Dwynwen's Day"")"
"also celebrated, but the normal Western cultural traditions are often reversed – women give men a gift of chocolate, and on White Day, one month later, the favor is returned. Gifts are not exclusive to romantic relationships; women exchange gifts most frequently between one another and will occasionally give male co-workers chocolate, although this later exchange is often referred to as an obligation gift. It is not as common for couples to go out on dates together; that element seems to be reflected in Christmas Eve instead. Christian-style weddings have become prominent as an alternative (or addition) to traditional Shinto"
"presents. Wedding presents to the couple are usually expected from the elders (; Jyutping: zoeng2 bui3), family members who are older or of higher generation rank than the newlyweds. The elders sit while the couple serves tea to each one, beginning with the head of the family. The elder in return will offer a small present (usually ""lai see"" or gold jewellery) to the couple. This is repeated with the other elders in the order of descending generation rank. The tea ceremony is also an opportunity for the bride and groom to express gratitude towards their parents for looking after"
"during the Chinese New Year, so when visits are made, visitors are normally offered candy in a red box often called a ""Tray of Togetherness"" or quanhe (全盒). Different traditional candies such as ""sugar painting"", ""candy doll"", ""ding ding candy"" and ""dragons beard candy"" all convey symbolic meanings from wishing for increased fertility to stronger family ties . It can also mean money and sweetness of life, which is why many chocolates presented in the festival are wrapped and packaged in the shape of a gold coin. Being given candy in the Chinese New Year is seen as a blessing"
"in which Hokkiens were spared from a massacre by a Song dynasty emperor by hiding in sugarcane fields. Sugarcane also features a prominent role during the ninth day of Chinese New Year celebrations (marking the Jade Emperor's birthday). During the eve of the wedding ceremony, Hokkien families pay respects to the Jade Emperor, called in ""Thiⁿ-kong"" Hokkien (天公, lit. Lord of Heaven), to seek his protection. Six food dishes and five kinds of fruit are offered as well. The foremost Teochew betrothal gift is the ""sì diǎnjīn"" (四點金), four pieces of jewelry including a gold necklace, a pendant, a pair"