1.   Families rarely observe Sunday as a day of rest.

2.   Her family did not observe the traditions of the Jewish home, and her husband, Blaine Mercereau, is not Jewish.

3.   In Lebanon, she said, her family often observed Christmas with a daylong fast.

4.   My family observed the occasion in the traditional manner.

5.   The family also observed Islam.

6.   The family observed the Jewish Sabbath.

7.   These families observe the Sabbath, keep kosher and follow an intricate set of laws that stem from ancient times -- including the mikvah.

8.   Resident Donald Cole said this was the first year his family observed only Kwanzaa instead of both Kwanzaa and Christmas.

9.   The Chow family observed the ceremony in a less solemn way.