Serve "Hoppin' John" on Wintertyde Day, January 7th

Traditionally, black-eyed peas are served on New Year's Day. A dime is stirred into the pan, and whoever gets the coin in her/his serving has good luck during the forthcoming year. Wintertyde recommends moving this wonderful celebration up from January 1st to January 7th. New Year's Day tends to be rather sedate and quiet as everyone is recuperating from the revelry of New Year's Eve. Move your dinner up one week for several reasons. First, you're likely to have a receptive group of diners who are not hungover as is often the case on New Year's Day. Second, serving "hoppin'John" on January 7th helps to establish the tradition of a special meal on Wintertyde Day. OK, plan snacks for New Year's Day, and save your special meal for January 7th. In our household, we use Margaret Holmes Hoppin' John and add a cup of bacon bits to the mix.

"Vadalia onions are an unusually sweet variety of onion grown under strictly regulated conditions that qualify them as “Vidalia Onions”. We have combined the great taste of premium Vidalia Onions to our delicious Hoppin’ John recipe and then slow simmered them together with our unique blend of down-home southern spices to create a true delicacy. Just heat-n-serve! Serving Size 1/2 cup (130g) Servings Per Container about 6" Companion dishes we serve are cornbread, sweet potato, and lima beans. Select a Chardonnay to accompany the entree. Happy Wintertyde Day 2015!

Celebrate the chickadee

The black-capped chickadee is Wintertyde's mascot bird. This remarkable creature embodies many of the characteristics that are helpful in making it through Winter with minimal emotional stress. Chickadees are resourceful, cheerful, active, friendly, and they exhibit the courage to make it through Winter. Make them your friend. How? Well, a little known secret is that in the snow, wind, and cold of Winter, chickadees will literally eat out your hand. Sometimes they will actually sit on one of your gloved fingers and eat seeds.

As a Wintertyde project, do some investigating as to what is the right type of birdfeeder for your house. A location outside a kitchen window is a good spot in general because you'll be able to observe at length all the birds of winter fairly closely. Feeding birds not only give you creatures to care for during Wintertyde, but provides an opportunity to get out of the house and get a bit of exercise. Images of chickadees are available on many household and decorative items. One suggestion is to change out bathroom linens after the Christmas holidays to Wintertyde decor that includes chickadees. Be creative.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/110134774/bath-hand-towel-set-with-chickadees Learn more about the cheerful chickadee here: https://americanexpedition.us/chickadee-facts

Fine art bird paintings by Vitec for Wintertyde and Christmas

English Christmas robin Wintertyde discovered Vitec's art several years ago. He's an impressionist painter of birds, based in Windsor, England. He's probably still taking commissions, and, as bird species differ among continents, you can request a black-capped chickadee, the Official Wintertyde bird, painting for Wintertyde display. The English Christmas robins are available for Christmastide, also. Vitec art is available at several web sites, including Etsy. http://www.vitec-art.com/Store.htm

How to make a Wintertyde calendar

It's simple to create your own Wintertyde calendar to attach to a kitchen wall, where you can see it everyday. Purchase a standard size 2015 wall calendar. You may want to do this after or near the first of the year as they will be on sale at 50% off or more. Detach the months January, February, and March from the calender. Do this carefully so the pages do not tear. Arrange the pages from top to bottom, January, February, and March, running downward and flipped over to the backside. Now, neatly tape the pages together will perhaps 3 lengths of tape about 2" long. Be sure to align the pages edges neatly. Take your time. Now, you're all done and ready to insert Wintertyde 2015 information onto the pages. First, use a colored pen that does not penetrate to outline the dates of Wintertyde neatly. This will be the box for January 7th through the box for March 6th. In red, circle the dates for important Wintertyde dates: Jan 7th First Day of Wintertyde or "Wintertyde Day" February 1st Saint Brigit's Day February 2nd Candlemas and Ground Hog Day Super Bowl date fluctuates, but for 2015, it falls on February 1st Saint Valentine's Day February 14th Mardi Gras February 17th Saint David's Day is March 1st Last Day of Wintertyde March 6th In a different color, circle March 17th, Saint Patrick's Day and

the first day of Spring, March 20th Now you can fill in other boxes with Wintertyde projects. For example, "January 7th - Attach Wintertyde wreath to front door, put up clear and white Wintertyde lights at the entry. Wintertyde window candles with something silver." You may want to save setting up you Wintertyde tabletop tree for a date later in the week such as January 10th. Just make sure the projects in the boxes you highlight with info get done and follow protocol. The advantage of using the Wintertyde calendar is that you can SEE that Winter will eventually end. Wintertyde allows you too make it from one event to the next by concentrating on the holiday rather than on the endlessness of Winter weather. You progress from daytoday through Wintertyde in small increments. The goal is to forestall any space where the "Winter blues" might set in. Start getting ready and have fun!

Prepare now for the Wintertyde holidays

We're half way through September, and the Fall and Christmas holiday season is gaining momentum. Be prepared by stocking up on all your Wintertyde decorative items ahead of time.

Kurt Adler football from replacements.com OK, we want to zip through the rest of the Wintertyde holidays that come after the first week in February. After celebrating Saint Brigit's Day, Candlemas, Groundhog Day, and the Super Bowl, it's time to get up your Saint Valentine's Day items. Hearts for the wreath should be inexpensive and Winter weather durable. The one for your Wintertyde indoor LED or minilight white branching table top tree can be an heirloom item> For example, this handmade glass heart:

vintage-ornaments.com You want to have all your Saint Valentine's Day items in place right after the Super Bowl.

christmasandcity.com Next, here a shamrock ornament that is appropriate for Saint Brigit's Day on February 1st. Two essential items for wreath and tree for this saint are the shamrock and the Saint Brigit's cross. Check online under images for potential items to order and use. Mardi Gras falls in late February, and items should be faily easy to obtain online. Finally, we have Saint David's Day on March 1st. He's the patron saint of Wales. His symbols are the Welsh dragon and the leek. This is the day to serve some type of onion dish.

Wintertyde ends on March 6th. This is the day to take down and tuck away all Wintertyde items for next year. What should take their place is your Saint Patrick's Day goodies for March 17th, which heralds the upcoming and much-needed Spring 2015!

Rethinking "Candlemas" protocol

First, note that as a new holiday season, Wintertyders will have personal ways to celebrate it. "Candlemas" falls on February 2nd, the same day as Groundhog Day. Hence, the two events overlap. "Candlemas is, traditionally, a religious holiday with pagan roots. February 2nd is celebrated with candle light as an emulation of the increasing amount of sunlight shining on Earth in the northern latitudes. February 1st marks the first day of Spring on the agricultural rather than astronomical calendar. Anyway, to cut to the chase, we propose that Candlemas simply involves using candles at dinner on February 2nd, and attaching a sun ornament to your exterior Wintertyde wreath and hanging one one your Wintertyde tree. Such a change keeps things simple and addresses the central meaning of Candlemass: more light. No fumbling with trying to attach candles to things. Use sun ornaments, which are easy to find online. Have fun!

Shop for Wintertyde supplies before Christmas and just after

Halloween supplies are already on store shelves, and the holidays and Christmastide will be here shortly. Be prepared to make a swift shift of gears into Wintertyde on January 7th or the Eve before. Think silver, white, earthtones, and burgundy while selecting your Wintertyde wreath and tree decorations. Purchase them at the same time you do your Christmas supplies shopping. Also, remember that many Christmas decorations will be on sale after December 25th, and this time, too, is good for finding just rhe right Wintertyde decor. Stay within the color scheme, and avoid bright red and green. Move ahead into the new year 2015. Find your background snowflakes for your Wintertyde tree, also.

Antique silver cut glass snowflake www.ebay.com