Showing posts with label chinese new year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chinese new year. Show all posts

Sunday, February 10, 2019

The Year of the Pig: Weekend Gift Guide


February 5th was the Chinese New Years; The Year of the Pig.  The visuals for this celebration are so spectacular.  According to one myth, a long time ago a terrifying sea monster (Nian) would rise from the bottom of the sea.  It would devour man and beast and destroy the town so the villagers were forced to flee to the mountains.  While everyone was fleeing a beggar sought refuge and there was only one old woman who provided it to him.  As a show of gratitude he decorate her home and the entire village in brilliant red.

At Midnight when Nian came it saw the red stopping it in its tracks in anger.  But just then firecrackers were set off scaring the fierce monster.  When the monster looked it could see the beggar all in red laughing and mocking it so it turned and fled.  The villagers realized that they could stop Nian each year by decorating their homes in red and lighting firecrackers at Midnight.  

This is just a very summary for much more details there is a great site you can visit at: https://chinesenewyear.net/myths/

To celebrate (a little late) my selection this week are either Red or Pigs (for the Year of the Pig)
Crocheted Infant Bolero Sweater w Lace Collar Cuffs Autumn Red 12 18 mo on Etsy at Magdalene Knits
Earrings Chandlier Ruby Swarovski Crystals Dangle
on Etsy at Magdalene Jewels
Rainbow Dichroic Red Saturn Lampwork Earrings, Handmade Jewelry Gift on Indie Made at Shadow Dog Designs
Red River Jasper Gemstone Earrings, Handmade Copper Jewelry Gift Women on Indie Made at Shadow Dog Designs
Cardinal, Needlepoint, Plastic Canvas Pattern. PDF on Etsy at
Christie Cottage
Red Bohemian Necklace, Crocheted, Boho Necklace on
IndieMade at Christie Cottage
Vintage Hawaii Postcard, Luau Pig Feast Nani Li'i National Color Card on HipPostcards at Postcards In The Attic
RED FINGERLESS GLOVES, CROCHET FINGERLESS GLOVES, HAND WARMERS, on Andrea Wagner Designs
Crochet spa set 4 items THE ORANGE (I know
not red but close :)  on Andrea Wagner Designs
Artisan Eudialyte in Sterling Silver Necklace on Shopify
at Eluna Jewelry
Eudialyte Spiritual Pendant Necklace for Personal Power
on Etsy at Eluna Jewelry
Turquoise Donut Necklace - VIP Sale on Etsy at
Linda B 142
Red Chain Swarovski Earrings on Linor Store
Hand Knit Red Hooded Cowl on Etsy
at Crafting Memories 1
Crochet Rope Necklace Red and Silver on Etsy
at Crafting Memories 1
Dangle Earrings for Women Statement Earrings Gift for Her Sterling Silver Gift for Women Long Earrings Handmade Jewelry Silver Earrings on Etsy at Blonde Peach Jewelry
Red Boho Earrings Long Clip Earrings Comfortable Earrings
 on Etsy at Blonde Peach Jewelry
Pink Pig Kitchen Magnets, Fridge Magnets, Refrigerator Magnets on Shopify at Blue Morning Expressions
Pig Earrings, Animal Earrings, Handmade Earrings, Novelty Earrings on Shopify at Blue Morning Expressions
Red Awareness Crystal Dangle Earrings with Silver Tone Ribbons on ArtFire at Pretty Gonzo
Red Flower Earrings, Red Czech Glass Earrings, Boho Jewelry Dangles, Rustic Handmade, Carved Bone Beads, Sterling Silver, Floral Jewelry on Etsy at Pretty Gonzo
Child Cameo Coral White Jade Pendant Necklace on Etsy
at Rivendell Rock Jewelry
Bali Coral Sterling Silver Pendant Coral Citrine Necklace
on Etsy at Rivendell Rock Jewelry
3 Caladium Variety 5 x 7 Note card Blank Greeting Card Vertical Images Caladium bulbs Flowers on Etsy at
Watercolors N More
Red Mallee Burl, Exotic Wood Earrings, Handcrafted by ExoticWoodButtonsAnd Rare Wood on etsy
at Exotic Wood Jewelry And
Card, Greeting Card, Wedding Card, Anniversary Card, Birthday Card, Blank Note Card, Heart, Personalized Card, Hand-sewn Beads, 4" x5.5" on Etsy at Daisy Blu
Personalized Bridal Shower Photo Album, Hand Beaded corset, Ladies Night, Girl Friend Gift, 5x7, 6x7.5, Bachlorette Brag Book, Girly Album on Etsy at Daisy Blu

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Happy New Year - Dragon vs Mayan Calendar

I find it truly amazing how often life and cosmic law will simply balance itself without a real conscious effort on anyone's part.  On one side of the globe there is a "Dooms Day" mentality with a mass of people believing that 2012 will be the end of mankind and on the other half there are a multitude of people celebrating the first day of The Year Of The Dragon.  That half of the globe is not wringing their hands in worry but embracing a future that will be prosperous and filled with many good things. 

I read that in Asian countries people are excitedly getting married and trying to have babies that will be born under the lucky Dragon's sign at a rate of 20% increase in births this year.  I wonder if the Western World will have a 20% decrease in births since we seem to have gravitated to the theory that the world is going to end in December.  I have studied many intriguing books on the Mayan Calender and ancient history; I started reading them because I like the mystery and intrigue of long forgotten civilizations.  Unfortunately along with the good things I learned from these books I also picked up on the message that they Mayans believed we were shortly running out of time.  When I first started to read them it was about 10 or more years ago so I was fascinated with the year 2012, but unfortunately, as always, time has marched quickly by and here I sit in 2012 thinking about all those predictions. 

As a Christian person I believe that the end will come as a thief in the night and that the Mayan Calendar is intriguing but just like our modern calendars...flip it.  I know that people much more intelligent than I will have a rational of why we can't just flip it, but really?  Wouldn't it be like Billy Bob learning to read and for the first time he sees December 31st on the calendar and freaks out.  Why does it just stop?  Isn't there anymore?  It's the end of the world!  Wait maybe that is why the calendars run into January instead of ending at the actual end of the year, people where panicking every December.

I do think that there is a lot of great information that we can glean from studying ancient civilizations and that there are many predictions that have come true or look like they were true from ancient and modern profits. But first of all for every ancient dooms day prediction there is an equally ancient prediction from other cultures that the world is not going to end.  Secondly many of us in the Western World proudly claim to be Christians but then we will panic and worry about the end of the world when our faith strongly tells us that no human being knows when that time will be.  And lastly even if the Mayan hit it right on the head and the world ends, knowing that will not change anything, what is going to happen will happen.  So I have decided to take the message as:  Live life as if each day is your last, behave in a manner that if it was your last day you wouldn't be scared that you would be sent straight to ... treat the planet as a treasure, and love people as if this was their last day. 

I also have decided (maybe this happens as you get older to everyone) that I will not choose to live in the drama of doom and gloom and worry all the time but I choose to celebrate life.  I may not live in the East and I don't practice the same religions but the Year of the Dragon sounds like a very good year.  I am going to embrace 2012 as a prosperous year and as a year that begins my future.  No looking back, no worrying about the end, just thanking God for my bright future with all the people I love around me.  So here is to the Year of the Dragon, may all of you have a prosperous year and enjoy great wealth and relationships!