So, you’ve decided to have a Valentine’s party on February 14? It’s going to be a tight schedule and you’ll have to do a lot of planning, but it’ll be worth it in the end.

First, decide on a date. Do you want it on Valentine’s weekend? Or the weekend before or after? Do you want it on a Saturday or Sunday? Brunch, lunch, afternoon snacks or dinner? Where are you gonna have it? Outdoor or indoor? Are you going to have it in your house or are you renting an outside place? So many decisions.

But for something as spontaneous as this, having it at a house is the most practical idea. Making it a potluck event will minimize costs and prep time for the host. Better yet, make it a special potluck event and have people bring in their specialties.

Prepare a guest list. How many people are you inviting? Make sure your guests will be able to fit in your venue. Oh, and don’t forget RSVP. It may be short notice, but you still have to have an idea of the number of people to expect. Nothing’s more depressing than a Valentine’s party where no one shows up.

Lastly, decide on your party theme. Are you going to have costumes? Is it casual or a party where people have to be in their finest outfits? You can use the theme to dictate the decorations, invitations, music and the overall mood of the party. As the host, you can also embody the theme.

What are some themes you can use?

1.  Movie Theme

You can pick a particular movie or use romance movies in general. Have love songs from movies playing in the background. Name the food using lines or characters from the movie or different movies. Organize games or activities, including trivia games featuring info from these movies.

2.  Mask Party

Have people come in masks or provide masks for your guests. Use the masks to create Valentine games, including creating matching masks and finding the other pair.

3.  Anything Goes

You also can choose to go the other extreme and use a completely opposite idea as your party theme. Make it a Halloween Valentine or Christmas Valentine or an anti-valentine Valentine. It’s all up to you.

Good luck planning your party, but don’t forget also to have fun!

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This year, the Chinese New Year falls on February 14. The year of the Tiger calls for a celebration, so why not host a small Chinese New Year get-together at your house? Here is a plan you can start with; it includes decorations, food, drink, and entertainment ideas. Feel free to use this entire plan or customize as you see fit.

Décor Plan
While there is nothing wrong with Chinese lanterns, they are a bit cliché, so try not to use them for party décor. Instead, start with a few bright colors and work them into the décor. Try colorful dishes (think FiestaWare),  or bring out several bowls or vases and fill them with flowers. Another great idea is to use a red brocade tablecloth for the table(s) that you serve the food and drinks on. Beyond color, you probably want to add a few whimsical decorations like hand painted ceramic animals or other décor pieces with Chinese symbols.

Food and Drink Plan
Now it’s time to choose between foods you love versus foods with significant meaning. It’s okay to have a little bit of both. It is said that egg rolls symbolize wealth, seafood means abundance, and chicken symbolizes family. There are plenty of recipes on the web for all three dishes, so browse the web and devise a menu that will please the crowd. If you’re throwing the party in the afternoon or early evening, you might want to serve tea to your guests. A great idea here is to plan a hot tea bar with a variety of teas for guests to choose from. Don’t forget to keep a kettle of hot water (be sure to check the supply often), milk, and lemon nearby for self serving purposes. If your party is scheduled for later in the day, go with a bottle of wine or two. As for dessert, try a tasty and exotic dish, like sesame custard served with two fortune cookies each.

Entertainment Plan
Although socializing is the reason, no party is complete without a little entertainment. Try a Mah-jong game tournament or have a professional astrologer who specializes in Chinese astrology offer readings for the guests. Then again, you also could choose no entertainment, and let the guests mingle, as is.

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For those of us who work, we’re just leaving the best time of year in our rearview mirror. In the last three months, we’ve had time off for Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Martin Luther King Day. Good times. And now… depression. Now we begin the long four month stretch between MLK and Memorial Day with nothing.Don’t get me wrong, there are some good holidays in that stretch – Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, Super Bowl Sunday, Easter – but nothing that nets you a day off from work.

But don’t despair – there are some holidays in that stretch that you can celebrate at work. February 5th is Wear Red Day, not to be confused with White Shirt Day, which falls on the 11th of February. Both of those can be celebrated at the office, without the need for time off. If you celebrate National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day on March 24, please be sure to stop by my office to share.

You can ditch your pen and celebrate Pencil Day by writing with lead on March 30th. Enjoy your work a little bit more than usual on National Fun at Work Day April 1st. National Deep Dish Pizza Day (April 5th) is a good day to invite a co-worker out to lunch. National Chocolate Covered Cashews Day and Administrative Professionals Day both fall on April 21st, which is especially convenient if your favorite administrative professional happens to like chocolate covered cashews. April 22nd is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day as well as National Jelly Bean Day. That’s a recipe for a fun work day if ever there was one.

So things are not so bad. You may not have a day off coming, but there’s a lot to celebrate in the coming months. Not all holidays are suitable for enjoying at work, however. Some holidays, like Beer Day (March 1st), Napping Day (March 15th – the Monday after Daylight Savings time begins), and National Goof-Off Day (March 23rd) probably are best observed outside of working hours.

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This year, Valentine’s Day won’t be the only celebration on February 14th – that also happens to be the date of the Lunar New Year. It’s observed in many Asian countries and some Western cities – like mine – but it’s probably best known as Chinese New Year.

I’ve learned a thing or two about it over the years I’ve lived here.

A special dinner is a large part of the celebration. It’s made up of foods that either symbolize good things to come (like uncut noodles, for long life) or have names that sound like encouraging words (like fish, similar to the word for “surplus”).

Red is the color of the season. It’s used in decorations and gifts; some people even paint the trim on their houses red for good luck. Red greeting cards, with elaborate decorations, slots to hold money, and matching envelopes, appear in the stores at this time of year. These are used by married couples to give gifts of money to children and single adults.

Making a fresh start is also part of Lunar New Year. Many people feel the urge to clean their houses thoroughly to sweep away all the bad luck of last year, though that can be hard when you live in a Western country with no time off for the holiday.

Each year is named for an animal, according to the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. This will be the Year of the Tiger.

How do you say “Happy New Year” in Cantonese? Actually, you don’t. You say, “Gung hay fat choy” (I’ve seen this spelled different ways), which means, more or less, “Congratulations and prosperity”.

So, if you’d rather ignore Valentine’s Day this year, you have a fallback holiday. If you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, maybe you’d like to add a Chinese touch to it.

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Valentine’s Day conjures many images: hearts, cupid, holding hands, cute and fuzzy stuffed animals, flowers, and chocolate among others.  For this Valentine’s Day why not make a homemade chocolate treat for your loved ones?

This treat is sure to be a hit with both the maker and the receiver.  First, they are easy to make; you need only four ingredients and less than half an hour of time.  Second, they are healthier than many typical Valentine’s Day treats, so, less guilt for the eater.  Third, they make a beautiful present with their combination of holiday colors.  Finally, they are delicious- what’s not to like about that?

Valentine Strawberries

Ingredients
1 quart strawberries, washed & thoroughly dried
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 tsp. vegetable shortening
pink sugar crystals

Directions

1.  Place chocolate chips and shortening in a small mixing bowl, and heat on high in microwave for 1 minute.  Remove bowl and stir for 15 seconds.  If all of the chocolate has not melted, return to the microwave for an additional 15-30 seconds.

2.  Pour some sugar crystals into a small bowl.

3.  Holding a strawberry by its leaves, dip most of the strawberry into the melted chocolate.  Take the strawberry out of  melted chocolate, and using the back of a spoon, wipe excess chocolate off of strawberry.

4.  Dip tip of white chocolate-covered strawberry into the sugar crystals.  Place on a plate or piece of waxed paper and allow chocolate to harden.

*You should deliver the strawberries to their recipients within a day of making them.  If you live in a warm climate, you may need to refrigerate the strawberries to keep the chocolate hard.

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Already? Well, I suppose that it is only less than a month away, but I could not believe my eyes when I saw the candies wrapped in pink and red tinfoil, the chocolate hearts, and the stuffed bears in the windows a few weeks ago. I feel like a few “blinks” ago those decorations were wreaths, nutcrackers, candy canes, and lights. Perhaps I just do not go shopping enough to watch the smooth transitions, who knows?

In any matter, to many people, Valentine’s Day has become what is known as a “Hallmark” holiday. Some people say that it is a holiday designed to give  card companies  business and a time for non-single people to show off the fact that they have someone by their side. Well, it is not just about that “stuff”.

Candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between people–all in the name of St. Valentine. Who is this being? Well, the history of Valentine’s Day is a mystery. The day itself contains traces of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. One legend is that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. During the time of war, Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, so he made it illegal for men to marry women. Valentine was against this and performed marriages for young lovers in secret. Eventually the Emperor found out about this, and Valentine was sentenced to death.

Another legend was that Valentine actually sent the first ‘valentine’ greeting. It is rumored that, while in prison, Valentine fell in love with a young girl who frequently visited him. The story goes that before he was about to be killed, he left a note for her. This note was signed with “From your Valentine.”

All of the stories lead to Valentine being a romantic person–one who was adored. In fact, by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France. Though it is unclear as to what really happened, we can assume that the date of Valentine’s day is derived from anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial.

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Who says that Valentine’s Day is an exclusive holiday for couples? It’s true that we’re either with that special somebody, and if not, we’re looking for that special somebody. But by the time February 14 rolls around, many of us singles are feeling down because we are alone. Then why not treat yourself to something indulgent and fun?  Here are some fantastic ideas to cheer yourself up even when you’re single on V-Day.

1- Treat yourself to a little retail therapy
Use the Valentine’s Day blues as an excuse to indulge in a little retail therapy! Head to your favorite department store and peruse the sales racks (many stores offer special Valentine’s Day sales) and spoil yourself with a much needed shopping trip. Invite another pal who is single to share the joys of shopping.

2- Indulge in a chocolate treat
Valentine’s Day is all about chocolate, so go ahead and buy yourself a box of chocolates to savor.

3- Get out there and meet new people
Go to a cozy coffee shop or sign up for a cooking class or a co-ed sports activity, such as biking, just to get out of the house and meet new people. Who knows who you’ll meet, and at the very least you’ll make a few extra friends.

4- Host a Valentine’s Day dinner party for all your single friends
Celebrate being single and allow your good friends and co-workers to mix and mingle with an elegant dinner party. Keep it simple and serve foods that are universal favorites like spaghetti or lasagna. You also could choose seafood like grilled shrimp over rice or even smoked salmon! Keep the appetizers simple by serving warm soups in small china cups or easy hors d’ourves like pigs in the blanket. For dessert, offer something decadent like chocolate  mousse or crème brulee. Keep the décor simple and pleasing with a little bit of red and mostly cream. Try cream and white table décor and a center piece of red roses in the middle of the table.

Part 2 coming soon!

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Many of the Eastern Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on January 7th – and so does our family, although nobody in it is Orthodox anymore, and although we also celebrate Christmas on December 25th. After all, who’d pass up a chance to have two Christmases? Especially when one of them gives you a chance to connect with your ethnic roots while throwing food at the ceiling? (More about that later.)

The big Christmas dinner actually takes place on Christmas Eve. Since this is still Advent, a season of penance, the meal has to be meatless. But that doesn’t mean it’s not elaborate. Traditionally, there are 12 different fish- and vegetable-based dishes. No, I don’t serve all 12 every year – for one thing, the supermarkets always seem to be out of miniature perogies (filled dumplings) and vegetarian cabbage rolls around this time of year. Obviously, we’re not the only ones celebrating.

But I do manage to come up with a few of the dishes, like borscht, fried fish, and a loaf of sweet bread. And there’s one dish that’s essential: Kutya.

Kutya (or kutiya) is made by boiling hard wheat kernels till they’re mushy, then mixing them with honey, sugar, and poppy seeds. It’s served cold or room temperature, and it’s not just food, it’s a look into the future.

At dinner, the father of the family takes a spoonful of kutya and flings it at the ceiling. The more of it that sticks, the better the next year is supposed to be. This may be the vestiges of some sacrifice to pagan gods, or just a test of the quality of last fall’s wheat crop. Either way, sometimes it’s good to keep doing something just because it’s always been done. And the honey comes off the ceiling with a little work.

Another Christmas is worth it.

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Hosting a New Year’s party? Have you figured out what to do or are you still struggling for a theme? Here are some ideas and tips for your party.

Period Party

Decide on a decade or a particular period in history. You can choose the 60s, the 20s, the 18th Century or even futuristic. If you decide to go with decades from the past, be sure to do lots of research to have the right decorations, food and refreshments. Make it a costume party, too, so people do get involved. And if they don’t dress up, tell them they have to sing or take off their clothes that don’t match the theme.

Color Party

Decide on a color theme, and use it for your entire party. Decorate the place using only the colors. Serve food and drinks that use only these colors. Invitations and party favors also should use the colors selected. Have the guests come wearing only these colors. It is best to select only two colors to make it stand out more.

Mardi Gras

The ultimate party experience, your guests will be transported to another world. Provide masks, beads and spicy Cajun cuisine. Use Mardi Gras to decorate invitations and include their masks when sending them. Hang feather boas and beads all over the place. Add swirls and garlands on the ceiling. Have costume contests to encourage everyone to wear a costume.

Fiesta

Add chili pepper lights and fiesta garlands everywhere in the place as decorations. Add inflatable cactus plants and tropical plants in corners all over. Serve Mexican finger food and drinks. Play only Mexican fiesta music. Give out maracas or noisemakers for party favors. Don’t forget to add a pinata in the middle of the room.

There’s still a lot of ideas out there. But no matter what you decide, be sure to do your research to make it very authentic.

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After a few Christmases with a last-minute scramble to get a tree – including one when there were none left to buy, but our friends’ church’s daycare had one they didn’t need anymore, so my husband drove across town at rush hour to pick it up – we decided to beat the rush permanently and buy a live tree we could use every year. We did some research and chose to get a Norfolk Island pine. It’s still with us, and we’re happy with it.

This plant originated on Norfolk Island, off Australia. It’s not officially a tree, but a “treeform houseplant”. Whatever you call it, it looks enough like an evergreen to serve as a Christmas tree. The rest of the year, it brings a touch of tropical forest to your house.

The price is comparable to a cut tree (about $50 to $85 in Canada), which averages out to much less per year. They’re available at hardware stores and garden centers. One sign of their popularity is that the seeds of the plant are one of Norfolk Island’s main exports.

Of course, Norfolk Island pines have their drawbacks. They don’t have the evergreen smell which is a part of Christmas memories for many people. Only non-heating LED lights are safe to put on them – before these became available, we just put our lights on the curtain rod instead.

Another customer in the store where we bought ours warned us they were “finicky”, but we haven’t had much trouble. The trees do need lots of water and sunlight – the top of the soil should be damp. They will grow toward the sun, also, so unless you want a leaning Christmas tree, you’ll need to remember to turn yours every so often. Dead branches have to be trimmed off.

But you’ll also find new, light green sprigs growing – and you don’t see that on most Christmas trees.

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