On Southern Holidays
My holiday bins are all color coordinated and organized by when the holiday falls within the calendar year. It’s one area in our lives that we are pretty organized. Once the Christmas Tree comes down and the Christmas bins go up, the Valentine’s bins come down. That’s the correct order of things.
See my blog header? See the hearts? No more trees. The correct order of things.
So imagine my surprise when I learned that some neighbors decorate for Mardi Gras. Noah, poor Noah, is still learning the proper order of the holidays. Now he’s all confused about this house decorating business that involves colorful beads and masks and Much Glitter. I don’t even know how to explain Mardi Gras to a 5 year old. Something about alcohol and nudity, right? I dunno. I’ve never been to New Orleans, I’ve never been to a Mardi Gras celebration at all.
And I remembered that Chinese New Year (Tet) is also coming up. This one we definitely celebrate. We have events, big and small, to attend plus whatever I plan for our own family. It may involve cooking and Pho. It may involve eating out at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, if they are open. I don’t know yet. But you know me - I like to celebrate.
But what it won’t involve, like Mardi Gras, is decorating my home or changing my blog header. Ok? You’ll have to look to Google and Flickr for the cute graphics. I’m going all Hallmark Holiday on you instead.
So back to Valentine’s Day. On today’s agenda is decorating with Noah. He lives for this stuff. He’s already bought (and wasted) his valentines. Last year I put up these cute mailboxes:
Last year they basically sat empty. We’ll use those again this year and I am going to do a Valentines Countdown with a new little note or sweet sentiment in each kids’ mailbox every day in February leading up to Valentine’s Day along with a treat of some sort. I thought that would be a nice way to build up to an otherwise boring holiday. And that way it will be all about the kids and not about the chocolate I wish I could eat but can’t do to my new Healthy Lifestyle* or the date I wish I could have but can’t due to my Clingy Children.
So remember when you are busy ribbing me for decorating for Valentine’s Day or changing my blog header to match the upcoming holiday - there are some people who actually decorate for Mardi Gras. Or - gulp - CLEAN for Tet. The craziness astounds.
* dont ask, you really do not want to know
January 16th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Man, that is one busy mantle! Very cute. I’m not a holiday kind of person, but get a lot of pleasure out of those of you who are.
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January 16th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Ha ha…get those green and purple beads out and party down!!! I don’t really decorate for CNY/TET…I do put up a few lanterns and we go to a few celebrations but clean ~ no way!!!
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January 16th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Celebration and Clean don’t go together.
Cleaning is what you do to mourn the cessation of festivities and return to mundane life- it can not be substituted for the celebration itself.
I’ll take beaded necklaces, drama masks, and paczki’s over cleaning any day.
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January 16th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
What you dont decorate for Mardi Gras?????? Just kidding! I dont understand why Texans do that LOL.
I agree with Tony above me…Cleaning and celebrating should never go hand in hand.
Mmmm Tony said Paczki’s!!!!!!
:::::droooool:::::
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January 16th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Unless you’re having a mardi gras party, I don’t know why you would decorate. But, growing up in the deep south, mardi gras is a cool holiday - the parades, the beads, one last blow-out before lent. The college I went to (a state school, no religious affiliation) even let us out on Mardi Gras (and the monday before).
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January 16th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
I love how organized your holidays are! That’s how I aspire to be.
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January 16th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Having been born and raised in the South, I never celebrated or decorated for Mardi Gras… I dunno… guess I was boring?
Where did you get those mail boxes? I remember them from last year but couldn’t them myself. I just love them (and I know my kids would, too)
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January 16th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I got them at the dollar area at Target. I saw they have them again this year but they go fast!
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January 16th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Being from New Orleans, I must say that I do have Mardi Gras decorations. It is by far my fav holiday. I would say your neighbors are probably LA transplants.
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January 16th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
You knew I would ask about the new Healthy Lifestyle, didn’t you? What’s up with that?
Oh great, I forgot about cleaning for Tet, grrrrrr…..
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January 17th, 2008 at 9:38 am
Will you be my mommy? I think the Valentine’s day mail boxes are awesome!
Have to say, I am a Texas girl that really enjoys Mardi Gras! Even kids can get into beads, king cake, and fun costumes! No beer required…and nudity is optional. (In case your children avoid clothes like my baby brother did!)
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January 17th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I LOVE those valentine mailboxes. What a great idea.
Mardi Gras is definitely more of a southern thing. I usually only realize it was Mardi Gras after the fact. The only holidays I do any decorating for are Halloween and Christmas. And even then I admittedly don’t do too much. But even though I don’t decorate we do celebrate just about any holiday. I love any excuse for a road trip, picnic or party.
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January 17th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Love the valentine mailboxes!
We do Christmas right into Valentine’s decorations. It’s so bleak up here, we need something to spice up all the grey!
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January 19th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
so what are we doing for mardi gras? just don’t bring me a king cake!!!
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