The third Monday of every January is dedicated to one of our nation’s heroes, who is credited with spreading peace, justice and tolerance throughout the United States. Today marks the twenty-sixth Martin Luther King Day since it’s founding in 1986. To celebrate MLK's birth, there are a variety of events taking place in the Silver Spring and Washington D.C. area.

Despite the freezing temperatures, many Silver Spring residents braved the cold on Monday night to hang out with friends, ice skate with family and see the newest winter blockbusters. Nick Grossman and I, however, grabbed our tripods, set up our cameras and endured the freezing winter wind. For about five hours we stood outside, watching our cameras take still frames of the movement and liveliness that is downtown Silver Spring.

For some Blazers, the holiday season doesn't involve the conventional traditions that most of their peers follow. With activities ranging from festive parades to searching for the best place to hide a gift, how do these Blazers celebrate the holiday season in unconventional ways?

To celebrate the holidays and the beginning of the new year, SCO is here with guidelines on how to throw an awesome party.

On Friday night, several Blair students and members of the D.C. based youth group City at Peace held a benefit concert outside the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center on Georgia Avenue to raise funds for the organization. City at Peace, which teaches area youth about diversity and promotes tolerance and non-violence through the performing arts, recently shut down indefinitely due to lack of funding and decreased attendance.