Super Bowl 49: Seattle cream cheese dog

Here's a link that tells you how to make them: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Seattle-Cream-Cheese-Dogs/

Saint Brigit's Eve: Irish stew and music

Here's over 2 hours of Celtic music for your Saint Brigit's Day! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49En0xjh0Xg

Here's a great recipe for your Irish Stew: http://www.food.com/recipe/glens-of-antrim-irish-stew-156664

4-holiday weekend coming up!

January 2015 has flown by, and Midwinter approaches. To celebrate the "light at the end of the Winter tunnel" we have a 4-day holiday weekend extending over February 1st and 2nd: Saint Brigit's Day, Super Bowl 49, Candlemas, and Ground Hog Day. Wintertyders who have read through previous boasts know how to celebrate, so this post is simply a reminder.

Recall that we suggest starting to celebrate Midwinter on January 30th to extend festivities (Super Bowl Weekend really begins on Friday, January 30th.) Get your ornaments on your Wintertyde tree if you have not already, and get food and drinks. We suggest Irish stew, Celtic music, and green beer for January 31st, then traditional items such as Buffalo wings and pizza for February 1st, Super Bowl Sunday. Next, Monday light your five or three pillar candle arrangement, and prepare buckwheat pancakes and pork sausage for Fenruary 2nd, Candlemas and Ground Hog Day.

Today is "Blue Monday,"and a perfect day for Wintertyde activities

Here's an interesting article with suggestions on coping with today, the third Monday of January, which investigators have determined is "the most depressing day of the year." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Life-Style/Relationships/Man-Woman/Today-is-the-most-depressing-day-of-the-year/articleshow/45931387.cms For Wintertyders, today is the busiest Monday of January as they prepare for a FOUR-event holiday weekend at the end of the month. Read the previous post for today to learn what you can do to stay occupied, diverted, and happy.

Super Bowl 49 falls on February 1st!

The Seattle Seahawks will play the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 49 on February 1st. These 2 teams emerged as Conference champions after yesterday's thrilling games. In any event, no matter how you feel about the Super Bowl, it has become a national, if not international, holiday. Make your plans ASAP for food, drinks, and fun. Order your Super Bowl party supplies ASAP from a licensed dealer such as Party City www.partycity.com

www.partycity.com As February 1st is rapidly approaching, you may have to have a rush put on your order. Order today. OK, as readers know Wintertyde has FOUR holiday falling on February 1st and 2nd! Saint Brigit's Day, Super Bowl 49, Candlemas, and Ground Hog Day. Super Bowl Weekend celebration really sttarts on Friday December 30th. We suggest that you celebrate St. Brigit's Day on Friday or Saturday with a hearty Irish stew, green beer, and some Celtic music. This plan leaves Super Bowl Sunday February 1st completely open for Buffalo wings, beer, and pizza without competition from Irish stew. Candlemas on Monday February 2nd celebrates the midwinter and the return of more sunlight. A simple arrangement of 3 or 5 pillars candles to be lit at 6PM suffices:

Finally, February 2nd is also Ground Hog Day. Watch the film in the evening. We serve buckwheat pancakes and pork sausage for dinner. After all, it's "ground hog." OK, there's your basic planner! Have a great time!

Saint Brigit's cross goes up Sunday January 18th

January 18th is the day to attach your Saint Brigit's cross to your Wintertyde wreaths as well as to suspend one on your tabletop Wintertyde tree. This will give you a 2-week lead-in to Saint Brigit's Day on February 1st and will work as a visual reminder of events immediately after the end of January (Saint Brigit's Day, Super Bowl Sunday, Candlemas, and Ground Hog Day). Use this diagram for a quick Saint Brigit's cross. Print it out, and paste it to a cardboard backing, and then cut it out. Punch a hole in the top for a cord to suspend it. Technically, it ought to be 1/8" Kelly green ribbon, but use whatever works.

Prepare for a four-holiday weekend beginning February 1st

Saint Brigid Hard to believe, Wintertyders, that mid-January is upon us! This eventuality focusses attention on the serendipitous blowout weekend at the end of the month. Remarkably, we really have a FIVE day blowout as Super Bowl weekend really, for all intents and purposes, starts Friday January 30th leading into Super Bowl Sunday, February 1st. February 1st is also "Imbolc," or Celtic "midwinter" the advent of agricultural Spring. Saint Brigit's Day also falls on the 1st. She is one of the patron saints of Ireland with a huge list of accomplishments (She was a blacksmith among other roles.) However, as a woman she has been marginalized throughout history with most of the acclaim going to the well-known Saint Patrick. Let's give her her due. Ironically, Brigit was Irish whereas Patrick was in fact English (!). Read about her below. The spelling of her name varies, and we have decided upon "Brigit," as it is a name with which Americans are familiar. In truth, her name is pronounced "breet," but "brigit" is how she'll be called in general. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigid

Super Bowl Buffalo wings courtesy www.goldkist.com

Now then, back to the FIVE day blowout. Super Bowl really gets celebrated the entire weekend, Brigit's day is the first (this means even more beer with a tasty Irish stew before all the pizza and Buffalo wings.) February 2nd is both Candlemas (Light a grouping of 3 candles that symbolize the sun's getting brighter each day.) AND Ground Hog Day (Serve buckwheat pancakes and pork sausage, after all, the latter is "ground hog." Whoa! Look at this array of foods from pizza to pancakes, stew and brew (beer, of course, colored green). Like I said, a FIVE day blowout that is welcome after dreary January.

Candlemas array

Saint Brigit's cross. This goes on your Wintertyde wreaths and tree