My New Year's Swap
Ever since Baby Whimsy was born, December has been my busiest month of the year. With Baby Whimsy's birthday, Christmas, shopping, and our annual trip to visit family, I am beyond busy. I can barely enjoy books in December. Let alone reflect, finish my reviews, and prepare for the New Year. As a family, we don't get time to just sit, decorate, and be the Whimsys in our own sweet casita (home). I'm not complaining. I love our extended families and I love that spending time with them is our priority at Christmas. But I have decided that from this point forward the Whimsys will honor the Chinese New Year. We will use January to reflect, give thanks, and prepare for the New Year. I'm even thinking we will decorate with red lanterns, put out mandarins, and eat Chinese food. I'm not Chinese. I'm not even close. (100% Hispanic actually) But I need this. Plus, I'm thinking it will be an awesome family tradition and way to expose our daughter to another culture. So over the next month I will wrap up my 2012 reviews and talk about my findings and favorites. Tonight we shall dine on steak and wine and I will breath easier knowing Tales of Whimsy and I have a little more time.
Are you ready for the New Year? Are you doing anything special?
Sounds like a great idea! I'll be watching football tonight.
ReplyDeleteYou go girl! With beer I hope? :)
DeleteThat sounds like a great idea! And actually much of the Asian cultures (not just Chinese) celebrate the Chinese New Year so that really is a good way to introduce another culture.
ReplyDeleteOh cool! Thank you for telling me that. I was wondering about that.
DeleteCreative and educational; I like it. We should all embrace such occasions as an opportunity to learn, teach, and be merry! Wishing you and yours well this New Years!
ReplyDeleteYes! Absolutely! Well said darling!
DeleteThank you so much.
A very very Happy New Year to you too!
Ooh, SUCH a cute idea. I like it. A lot. ;0)
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteExcellent idea and it will mean more to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely evening and I'll save my wishes for next month :)
and no special plans in my house. We just had a nice dinner at home, and will quietly spend the evening at home with a nice bottle of wine.
Exactly :)
DeleteThank you darling.
Nothing like a good bottle of wine I say ;)
I think your idea a lovely one. Live on.
ReplyDeleteThank you doll! *high five*
DeleteWhat a fantastic idea! All my best wishes to the Whimsy's for a happy, happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteThank you sugar!
DeleteI hope you and your family have a wonderful New Year too!
Oh my goodness you really do have a busy December! I hope Baby Whimsy had a fun birthday and that the Whimsy family had an amazing Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that you'll be celebrating the Chinese New Year! I bet your daughter will love all the pretty lanterns!
Happy 2013 Juju! :)
She soooo did. And Christmas was awesome too.
DeleteYes! I bet she will! :) Thank you doll! A Happy 2013 to you too.
*hugs*
PS I'm so glad you're back Katie. I missed you.
Wow that sounds like an excellent idea, Juju! Festive and significant. I wish I could say I have more plans, but I merely intend to do my manicure, and watch the ball drop :-). I hope you and your family have a wonderful New Year!
ReplyDeleteHey! Good for you! I need a mani myself.
DeleteThank you :) I wish you a super Happy New year!
That really sounds like fun! If you decorate post pictures! I know of some fun arts and crafts for Chinese New Year! :) One you can make your own lantern! It might be fun way to decorate for the Holiday? I think baby whimsy is to little at this point, right? I used to teach Pre-K art classes so it was a fun and easy lesson for them!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/chinesenewyear/lantern/
Thanks :)
DeleteOMG I love that link.
Brilliant!
I have to try it!
Baby Whimsy is only a year old at this point but I love the idea of getting her into the crafts next year.
Aww, definitely too little then! I did the craft with 3/4/5 years old and it worked well, I did a bit of preparation though in that I made the lines for them to cut! With 1st grade they can do the lines themselves I found :) I think crafts are great for little kids, they love them and they are easy to do!
DeleteO smart! I'm SO taking mental notes right now. Thank you :)
Deletethat sounds like a blast. We are doing a BBQ and movies. Yes I plan on taking my time with books and just enjoying the wonderful community of my fellow book lovers. Have a wonderful new year
ReplyDeleteOh fun! What movies? :)
DeleteThank you.
You have a fantastic new year too!
what a perfect idea! tonight I am laying in bed watching tv and playing on the computer....very relaxing night! Hope your New Year is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!
DeleteWe drank wine and watched most of The Raven.
It's reallly quite good.
i think you'll love it. i love following the customs of the chinese new year. they have some wonderful practices. i'm african american and started doing that about 3 years ago and continue today. do it! you'll feel good!http://www.averysweetblog.com/
ReplyDeleteYay! A kindred spirit! Thank you for the support! Do you do anything special?
DeleteIt's a great idea! Have fun and enjoy! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, and HAPPY NEW YEAR! (until the Chinese one, that is!)
xxx
Thank you ;)
DeleteHappy New Year beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to hearing what you're up to with your Chinese new year! :)
Thank you sweetie. To you too :)
DeleteHappy New Year, Juju, to you and the Whimsy family!
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of celebrating Chinese New Year! In fact, what a perfect way to reconfirm resolutions and reflect on our blessings. You can never do that too often, IMO.
Thank you sug! A very Happy New Year to your family too :)
DeleteYes! YES!
True that!
The best idea ever! I just may be your first copy catter! Enjoy dinner!
ReplyDeleteYay! Please do. Let's start a movement!? :)
Deletedinner sounded divine, so sorry I couldn't make it :) Hope 2013 will have you reading muchly and enjoying your babe :)
ReplyDelete;)
DeleteThank you sweetie.
I hope 2013 turns out to be a big hit for you too!
What an awesome idea...:) I really know nothing about the Chinese culture but would love to learn more, cant wait to hear about your findings....:D
ReplyDelete:) Thanks!
DeleteWow- what a really cool, unique idea. I wish you the best with starting that new family tradition. It sounds AWESOME!
ReplyDeleteThanks sweetie :)
DeleteStarting to expose my little ones(and myself) to other cultures is a big goal of mine this year! This is such a great idea!! I love it. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Delete*high five*
Good luck.
That's a really cool idea! Wishing you and your family well in the new month and new year! :)
ReplyDelete~Amber
Thanks sweetie. A very Happy New Year to you too!
DeleteI love your idea! I think everyone should do it! December is too hectic and we need a quiet month just to relax, focus and be ready for the year!
ReplyDeleteRight? Yes! Exactly! *high five*
DeleteWow, I love the idea of adopting the Chinese New Year!
ReplyDeleteHope things are much calmer now and you have time to relax with your family and read and blog and all that other fun stuff. :)
Thank you. It's calmer already. :)
Delete100% agree and what a fabulous idea. Can't wait to see all that January brings to Tales of Whimsy and here's to you and the Whimsy clan on time well spent together. ^_^
ReplyDeleteThank you sugar! :) *hug*
DeleteThat's a wonderful idea. You can never go wrong with embracing another culture and introducing yourself to new ideas.
ReplyDeleteHope you had a lovely New Year's Day! Hopefully 2013 will a fabulous year for everyone :)
Thank you sweetie. You too!
DeleteThis is a great idea! December is definitely busy enough, it makes sense to share the holiday love with another month :)
ReplyDeleteThank you :) I think so too.
DeleteWhat a wonderful idea! A great way to make things less rushed, that's for sure. Happy New Year AND Chinese New Year, Juju!
ReplyDeleteYes! :)
DeleteYou're the cutest. A very Happy New Year and Chinese Lunar New Year to you too :)
Lovely idea. Really. I like it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Holly :)
DeleteI think that idea is brilliant! Plus the more exposure children have to other cultures the better:)
ReplyDeleteAmen :)
DeleteI think that is a nice idea to take your time with your wrap ups, and to chill out and expose Baby Whimsy to different things. Chinese food actually sounds good right about now!
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
DeleteRight?
I had some on the 1st just to kick off everything the right way ;)
sounds like a wonderful idea! it's always fun to start new family traditions! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it? :) A very Happy New Year to you too!
DeleteWhat a wonderful idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
DeleteThis sounds like a really fun idea! You should post pics of the lanterns and such! :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you're not planing on shutting down Tales of Whimsy are you?!
Will do (share pics) :)
DeleteAnd noooo I love Tales too much :)
what a good idea!
ReplyDeleteI hear you on December being just... too much! My birthday is in the week between Christmas and New Year's, and even if those two weren't enough, I'm urged to celebrate and plan even more. Love your idea of celebrating Chinese New Year - it sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteYes! December birthdays change it all.
DeleteAs an adult, I'm sure Baby Whimsy will love it.
But for a mama, it's tough.
Thank you :)
That is a great idea! What a fun new tradition for your family. I agree. The whole holiday season just seems to pass in one big clump. It would be nice to spread it out a little more.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a marvelous NEW Year! :)
~Liz
Yes! A clump indeed.
DeleteThank you sugar.
To you too.
Looking forward to all the wrapping up - it will totally help me catch up on what I missed while I was on a blog break :) And yay for new family traditions! Love the idea.
ReplyDeleteYay :) Thank you! It's nice when someone says they're looking forward to what you have to say.
DeleteWhat a fabulous idea. You are awesome :)
ReplyDeleteThanks :D
Delete100% Hispanic ?? :D I'm Mexican and lived there most of my life! :))
ReplyDeleteRight on! :) My mama is Cuban and my dad was Colombian (he passed away a few years ago).
Delete:)
I celebrate Chinese New Year and I'm not Asian either! I prefer it to regular New Yrs! I'm from Hawaii, so I grew up with a heavy Asian influence. So excited that it's coming up, I have big plans!
ReplyDeleteYay! *high five*
DeleteI can't wait to see what you have in store.