So, the Mayan calendar ends Friday, December 21, 2011 (sort of)

[No Elephants]

As the date approaches, I have been hearing that

(1) there was a miscalculation. The calendar will not end Friday, after all.

(2) there was a misunderstanding. The Mayans never intended to imply that the world would end when the calendar ended.

Well, I know one thing: Whether or not the world ends on December 21, the Gregorian calendar says the year will end on December 31.

So, on the off chance that the world will still be here on December 31.... I would like to pass on some customs, some relating to Christmas and Hanukkah, and some relating to December 31.




Christmas and Hanukkah:

Too late for this year, but there's always next year (we hope!): A few years ago, I heard Oprah say that the one time of the year she does not give Christmas presents is Christmas. Throughout the year, as she sees or learns of things she thinks a friend might like, she buys the item, wraps it and gifts it on the spot.

Of course, one can also do the buying and wrapping throughout the year and save only the gifting for December. However, if you have to ship presents anywhere, you will still have to battle the Post Office in November or December. That is not such a big deal,though, if you got the package ready for shipping months earlier.

This also does not work for children, only the adults in your life. Children outgrow stuff fast(if you are mean enough to give them clothes) and we never know what the hottest toys will be until maybe November. But, spreading out your shopping and wrapping for the adults in your life is a great holiday stress reliever. I highly recommend it.



As you get cards this month, save the envelopes, which usually have return addresses, for next year. That way, when it is time to address the cards, you will know exactly who sent you a card this year and you will probably also have their address on the envelope.

Also, how about buying your cards and forever holiday stamps right after the holiday and writing cards out during the year? Don't address them, though, just in case someone moves before the holiday. Alternatively, do a holiday email and get your holiday emailing list ready.

Upside: most cards will be half price or less. Buy your wrappings (paper, tags, ribbons) on sale then too. Better yet, recyle stuff.

Cards that you are receive this month will make great gift tags (and decorations) next year. Recycle your used wrapping paper and ribbons, and use newsprint, "funny papers," magazine pages, etc. as wrapping paper. Or, what the heck, just buy those boxes with a holiday them printed right on them already and write on them with a gold pen or a blue or red pen.

With presents, wrapping and greetings nearly out of the way well before next December, you will enjoy the holiday 100% more, I guarantee. Then, if and only if you want to and have the time and energy, you can just wander around the shops next December to look at the decorations and to soak up the holiday atmosphere. No pressure, just pure joy. Or stay home with a nice cup of cocoa. (I recommend Hersheys for a supermarket brand with few artificial additives--when I last looked)





New Year:

Throughout the year, but especially during the last week of the year, get rid of excess stuff.

Someone once said, "Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. Sometimes, saving a photo of an item of purely sentimental value is better than saving the item somewhere where you will seldom dig it out and look at it.

And, then, if you have the time and energy, clean your home. It probably needs it after the holidays anyway, especially where you store food. and starting the year off with less clutter, fewer crumbs and more sparkle will feel great.

If you work in an office (as opposed to a home office), purge and clean that, too.

Always make written resolutions, on or before New Year's Day, and read them often throughout the year. Sure, many resolutions get broken, but, as someone else also said, "A man's reach must exceed his grasp....." If you don't even reach for something, you for sure ain't getting it (unless you are one very lucky person, in which case, I am jealour).

Just for fun, have Hoppin' John and something green on New Year's Day (and this comes from a Northerner!) Lots of recipes online for the price of a google. (I like to make half with tomato and half without. That way, I don't get as tired of leftovers.)

For one thing, supposedly, if you eat humble on New Year's Day, you'll eat "high on the hog" the rest of the year. And the gold (sort of) color of the black eyed peas (and of the corn bread, if you have that) symbolizes wealth, which is also supposed to be lucky. And since we've been off the gold standard for a while, have something green as well, for dollars. I don't make great collards, so I do spinach with caramelized onions (also goldish in color). Others prefer green cabbage.

For another thing, your tummy could probably use a change from rich food by this point.

For a third thing, it's an inexpensive meal and you've probably spent enough by now.

For a fourth thing, Hoppin' John was supposedly a dish eaten by slaves and it is a good way to remember that Abe Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1 (1863).


And, above all, put in for a year's worth of vacation on January 2. You'll beat everyone else to the punch and no one will say, "Sorry, you can't have those dates. Too many others will be out on vacation then."



Finally, if you don't get everything done by January 1, no worries. Aim for March 21,when the new year of the zodiac begins, or forMarch 25, when the colonists used to observe New Year. There are even other meaningful occasions to eat Hoppin John, too, like MLK's birthday in January, or Juneteenth or even next December 6 (1865), when the 13th amendment was ratified.



Above all, don't stress, just enjoy your friends and/or family and the season and have fun with the customs.

[No Elephants]

1. We're still here, so it's Plan B.

Hoppin' John and something green for New Year's Day, preferably with organic brown rice grown in California for less arsenic. If not, white rice will do.

If you feel like making it and get around to it.


If not, don't stress.