So how did you celebrate your New Year?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Without really meaning to, this was probably one of the “quietest” New Year celebrations we’ve had in years, even my son slept through it.  But we still had fun just the same…

1.  Watching the lightshow

Enjoying the fireworks without lighting a single one...

Maybe being green was not part of their agenda, maybe its really the signs of the times…

But more and more people are just content on watching the fireworks rather than lighting even a few of their own.

On our street, my daughter and I with all of our neighbors were just standing outside the street marvelling at the fireworks display several blocks away from us.  We had fun trying to spot first where the next big burst will come from.

Did you know it was also a Blue Moon last night?  It was a rare treat and a sight to see, it’s great to have it on New Year’s Eve!

2. Playing with simple noisemakers

A noisemaker for New Year's and a toy the whole year through, it's really not that annoying... I think I enjoyed it more than my kids! Hopefully, it survives to ring in the next year.

This was the only concession I made for China made Divi toys!  I figured, my kids won’t play with them that much so less safety worry there, its made of wood so even if it breaks I don’t have to think too much about it, plus its just plain cute.

Yes its a bit flimsy, the tongue part that rattles got loose even just after a few turns, but nothing like a strip of rubber (like the ones for turumpo /top) won’t fix.

3.  Simple fare

What is a Filipino Christmas or New Year without Leche Flan? My mom really makes great leche flan, this year she made it more special with real vanilla beans, can you see the black specks?

This was the first New Year’s I had to work, I only had time to make the simplest of spaghetti for dinner, good thing my mother and brother were there to take care of everything else.

Okay maybe ours is not so simple fare so simple for some, but we really pared down this year.  Not too much excess.

We didn’t make much, just enough for a good snack, nothing extra feast-y, maybe a little extra for breakfast (who has the time to make breakfast after New Years, right?) I was so content on eating queso de bola (slicing it as thin as possible makes it taste better don’t you think), I forgot about my eternal favorite buko salad (which was also a leftover from Christmas!)

4.  Making your New Year’s resolutions greener

Now doesn't that make segregation fun!

I probably don’t need to tell you this, but becoming more eco-friendly feels so very much like breaking bad habits.  So its really way up there in the resolutions list.

But when it comes to being earth-friendly what do you think should be the first goal?  segregating?  composting?  recycling? sticking to biodegradable products?

Changing to earth-friendly products is a major challenge in terms of of cost, habit and mindset, right?

For us its really segregating, using eco-friendly detergents and composting.  When you live in a mixed household, trying to make this stick would really require a lot of initiative and inventiveness.

5. Just being with family

For Filipino families, Christmas and New Year means a shuttling back and forth to the grandparents for an even merrier holiday for everyone. For our family, with the kids having much too many gifts on Christmas, we try to space it and give them some of it on New Year's and even Three Kings.

At the end of the evening, having my little girl snuggle beside me to fall asleep, was just the perfect ending of the year (even if I didn’t get to finish my snack!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  a whole new Greener 2010 for everyone!

Be happy.  Be Healthy.  Be Whole.

Make the Quaint things count,

Theresa

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1.  Go for the greens

Literally, go for the greens.  Add a salad to your menu, preferably with a vinaigrette but any preferred dressing would serve you and your kids well.

No recipe required just mix in your favorite veggies and fruits for a simple no fuss salad. Then add olive oil and balsamic vinegar, that's it!

2.  Go organic

It’s super expensive, like a kilo of chicken is roughly P400 as compared to the regular (artificial-hormone laden-  not my words hehehe) chicken.  But you know every last morsel would be good for you and your kids… hey it’s Christmas, indulge a little.

This is just soooo yummy! moist, tender and flavorful. Ate Gleny's rosemary garlic roast chicken, have to remember to ask for that recipe.

3.  Go Light

We had grilled labahita and baked lapu-lapu with kefir leaves.  I was just so engrossed I forgot to take a snapshot of the fish.  I’ll try to recreate it in a later post.

4.  Think whole

As in whole wheat.  We are so lucky now that there are already available whole wheat products in the market.  It’s not only bread but pasta as well.  The price is not as bad as the chicken, I believe its roughly P80 for a half Kilo of San Remo pasta.

If you haven't tried whole wheat pasta it may come as a surprise because it has a flavor of its own. To me its great with a full-bodied sauce like puttanesca. But it was even better with the pesto. I know it's not just me, because that's what the kids ate! Thank you Tita Gil.

5.  Go for less sugary treats

The kids just loved this!  Of course, we can always serve cake and other Christmasy-sinful treats, but they can always have that in another house.  So what we did was to make our own gingerbread cookies.  Using fresh dough from whole wheat flour (did we use organic, Tita Tams?) and decorated it with nuts and fruits.

It's not about being perfect...

It's just about having fun at Christmas.

The finished cookies waiting to be baked. We used cashews, raisins, sunflower seeds, (would you believe) dried ripe mango strips, dessicated coconut, cherries... and choco chips (I know it's not what you can call "healthy" but its the fun part of the cookie, hehehe)

It may be more of a western tradition about making cookies but aren't these adorable! And the kids enjoyed the project! and the eating after.

6.  Simple Christmas thanksgiving

What is a feast without thanksgiving, right?  We held hands, said our thanks…

lighted a candle...

and told a Christmas story

I hope you have a great 2010!

Be happy.  Be Healthy.  Be Whole
Make the Quaint things count,

Theresa

Follow me on Twitter
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Email me at myquaintlife@yahoo.com

I think that’s one of the most influential shows for me in my enduring appreciation of finding the treasure in what someone may consider to be trash.

The Christmas White Elephant Dice Game

This Christmas, our Aunt Kelly and SIL Rachelle devised an ingenious game for the usual Christmas exchange gift.

Everyone who wants to join in the game was asked to bring a White Elephant gift they have received some Christmas ago.  Each can bring as many as they want and would have just as many participants in the game.

Step 1: gather all the gifts and spread it around a long table

Step 2: Everybody stands in front of a gift

Step 3: Throw the dice...

Round 1: even numbers pass

Odd numbers get to pick a gift, until all gifts finds an owner

Step 4: Everybody opens their gifts

Then it gets exciting…

Round 2: Throw the dice again within 10 mins.

even numbers get to steal, double numbers get to steal twice! This ampao changed hands so many times, it was hard to keep track where it was!

... some are just so lucky!!!

Hope your Christmas was just as happily green.

Be happy.  Be Healthy.  Be Whole.

Make the Quaint things count,

Theresa

I’m doing a paella which is simple enough… sort of… hey its my first time to do it so its a bit of a challenge… wish me luck…

I still have to do a shawl for my mother and mother-in-law, but I need to get in the mood for that, still a few hours for that.  If I run out of time because of some motherly duty, there should be a back-up gift somewhere… again good luck with that.

But the wrapping should be easier, so that task first.

1. Do a family style wrap

Just a ribbon to dress up an extraordinary bayong is enough.

It would be best if you also do this for families and friends who understand your intentions.  You not only minimize disposables and at times make the presents larger than life.

2.  Use newspapers

Partially wrapping gifts with newspapers and having something interesting showing out keeps wrap more interesting.

This would be so great when you decide to give recycled / upcycled gifts like those you can buy from Gawad Kalinga or other NGO cooperatives like Tahanang Walang Hagdanan.

Here's the gift inside

3. Minimize the wraps

Keep it simple, just a single cheery wrapper with a handmade card is enough.

I am so guilty of this.  Of course, being a florist, my mode of thinking is making even opening of gifts and experience.  Multiple tissue wraps only heightens the surprise, perfectly nestles the gift and really make it special.  Remember Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) in the 2003 movie “Love Actually”, where he would layer upon layer lovingly and with great flourish wrap the tiniest of giftboxes?  That’s how carried away I can get… well sometimes, hehehe

4. Use special holiday boxes

There's something special when you open these beautiful gift boxes.

We use special holiday boxes to wrap presents for the family.  Its festive and beautiful enough to use year in and year out.  We not only save on time but money as well, and it looks just as merry, don’t you think?

5. Make your own cards

I don't know how many gift cards we made with these already. My favorite is Please Do Not Open Until Christmas... teaches EQ especially for adults.

Of course store bought cards would be more professional and at times more colorful.  But I found making your own gift cards to be more flexible all year through.  I have collected quite a number of stamps which I can use on almost any occassion.  But my favorite are these Christmas themed ones.

You can use your scrap paper boards from previous projects.

6. Even avoid wraps and tie a festive ribbon

Just some of the ribbons...

I am a great collector of stuff… can you tell? just the slightest? hehehe… and I have saved the most beautiful ribbons that came with the gifts I received through the years.  I try to reuse them in gifts and other projects.  It would be a shame if these ribbons would just end up in the trash, right?

and trims I have collected through the years... from gifts and previous projects.

7.  Ask your relatives or friends to resuse or return

Handy isn't it.

This would be tricky if you are not particularly close to them or a bit touchy about certain things.  But this could really work for those who know you and know you only have the best intentions and is not just being stingy or scroogey.

I’ve done this with my prized holiday boxes and I got each of the 10 boxes back.

You can either mention it sweetly or write a small message at the back of the card briefly explaining about returning, etc.  I have a REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE stamp I picked up at Papemelroti a few years back.  I didn’t know how I would use it, but I guess now is just the perfect time.

Merry Christmas, friends!!!

Be happy.  Be Healthy.  Be Whole.

Make the Quaint things count,

Theresa