Traditions~

Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.
William A. Ward~

I love to hear how people celebrate the New Year~ I grew up with few traditions, so I created or adopted many of my own when I married. New ones crept in after we became parents, and I find that I look forward to them and enjoy them.

Do you cook Black Eyed Peas? My dear friend from Texas does!

                           
                             Or make home-made Menudo?

 Do you throw buckets of water out the window like they do in     Puerto Rico? This cleans out the 'old' from the house!

People in Ecuador burn photos or effigies. In Denmark they throw dishes at the front doors of their friends. In Chile, people go to late night Mass then visit a graveyard.

One year, when our daughter was about 3 or 4 years old, we watched a Sesame Street television special about New Year traditions around the world.  They showed people from Spain and Portugal eating 12 grapes on New Years Eve...one for every month in the New Year.

And my sweet little girl wanted to eat grapes! So every year since then we eat 12 grapes and make a silent wish as we pop each one into our mouths~ It is a yummy and healthy tradition!

I made a card with my new Cuttlebug (Christmas gift!). I also used my new Lisa Pace Antiquated stamps (which I won!)~

• Sizzix postcard folder
• BoBunny cardstock
• button, heart charm
• Distress Vintage Photo ink
• Pink Persimmon vintage bottle and advert stamps
• Marvy scallop punch

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Sharing this with Sentimental Sundays~



New Years Eve and 6 Days of Creation~

Happy New Year! I started my blog at Thanksgiving in 2010, so this is the first full year I have been posting and sharing my creations, teatimes, & family life. I have 'met' many talented, creative, and caring women and enjoyed glimpses into your lives. I hope the year ahead fills your heart to the brim with precious times and wonderful memories~ Here are a few photos from this past year of blogging:

                                                                                                             

The Twelve Days of Christmas are the days between Christmas Day and Epiphany (January 6), and represent the length of time that the Three Wisemen took to reach the manger in Bethlehem.

The Six Geese-A-Laying represent the Six Days of Creation.
The "true love" in the song refers to God Himself. And the "me" receiving the gifts is every Christian.

What are your plans for 2012? Do you make Resolutions? I do not make resolutions at the New Year...just a personal idiosyncrasy! I'd rather form goals and plans on my birthday, or when the mood strikes me.

Five Golden Rings ....necked pheasants?

Well, we may never get to the bottom of this 12 Day Of Christmas song...some sources say it is a catechism carol, others say it was originally a French forfeits/memory game! I bet you think of jewelry when it comes to the 'five gold(en) rings', eh?

But some sources state that the five gold rings refer to five golden Ring Necked Pheasants! Charity Suthard writes,

"And on the fifth day, five golden rings. Finally, a gift that's not a bird, right? Wrong! The fifth day is not referring to the finger-adorning jewelry, but rather, to another type of bird, either the ring-necked pheasant or the goldspinks which is an old name for goldfinches. Even though, the song originated as five gold rings, it is often sung as five golden rings, because it flows better. In the religious aspect of the song, the five gold rings represent the Pentateuch which is first five books of the Bible's Old Testament also known as the Hebrew scriptures."

Ring Necked Pheasants or five gold bands, it is still a nice day leading to New Years Eve... and then eventually to January 6 which is Epiphany. And, it also gives us singers a chance to catch our breath!! ('five golden riiiiings!' Inhale! lol)

I had to chuckle when I read a blog post by BJ. She said her house is clean as a whistle and all the Christmas decor is packed away until next year....and it is still December! Wow, you go, girl! However, we have a tradition to keep Christmas decor out until Epiphany, the 12th Day Of Christmas. It is somebody's birthday here, and the grand finale of the Christmas season for us.

I made a New Years' card  today and couldn't keep away from my tea themed stamps~

I used~

• Martha Stewart corner/edge punches
• green Bazzill cardstock
• Stampin Up teacup
• white ribbon, inked pink
• Distress Inks
• black and white bakery string