Full Circle Eventi – Making Imagination A Reality

I am always looking to celebrate cultural fusion! I am so excited with this little find I wanted to publish it with yesterdays information, but decided it was worthy of its own day! I found a beautiful rendition of Mile Davis’s, American Jazz star, “My Funny Valentine” sung in Maori by Whirimako Black, creator of original Maori soul music!   A beautifully sung rendition that would be the highlight of any first dance!

Whirimako Black “My Funny Valentine” from Full Circle Eventi.

Whirimako Black “My Funny Valentine” music video, from her New album Whirimako Black Sings

And a few funnies to make you smile!

Funny Potato

It’s Valentine’s week, a whole week to be showered in cute little cards, flowers and chocolate (of course!). While many of you reading this are already engaged, every once in a while I get a desperate plead for help with a romantic and unique way to get the ball rolling. So for all you guys, here are a few ideas I’ve drummed up, thanks to Groomsstand. Enjoy!

For many, Valentine’s Day, the national holiday of love, seems like the perfect time to propose. The day’s already reserved, the anticipation is already building… Then again, there is an implicit pressure in trying to combine to momentous romantic occasions into one. The key is to let the natural romantic ambiance of Valentine’s Day work in your favor, while adding some unique touches to create a personal proposal.

The first thing to do, since you’ve already selected a traditional date to propose, is to avoid any traditional sweet-but-cheesy proposals. So, no chocolate script on the restaurant dessert plate, no skywriters, and no fortune cookies! Groomstand’s unbeatable Valentine’s Day Proposal Guide will get you from bended knee to “will you marry me?” with superb creativity and aplomb. Simply take one of our suggestions, wait for the ecstatic “Yes!” and then come back later to pick out groomsmen gifts!

THE PROPOSAL: QUIZ ‘O’ LOVE

Secretly type up a Valentine’s Day Trivia Quiz. Start with general questions (i.e. “Is Valentine’s Day a pagan or religious holiday”) but make sure they are all yes or no questions. Have the last question be, “Will you marry me?”

HOW TO PULL IT OFF: Tell your lady you’re exhausted from work and you just want to have a low-key night in. If she’s a worth it woman, she’ll be disappointed, but agree. Get her to sit down next to you on the couch, and then casually pull out a Valentine’s Day trivia quiz you’ve typed up in advance. Pull it out of the newspaper and pretend it was an ad. Say, “Hey honey, I know you’re bummed about spending Valentine’s Day in. I’m just going to jump in the shower, but why don’t you take this Valentine’s Day quiz to get in the spirit of things?” While she’s taking a quiz, rush into the other room, where you will have stored the ring, flowers, and wine (bonus points for presenting it in our romantic personalized wine box – hey, it works for more than just groomsmen gifts). When you hear the tell-tale scream, rush back in the room, get on one knee, and propose.

THE PROPOSAL: YOU PUT THE STARS IN MY SKY

Okay, I know we said no skywriters, but that’s because we have a better idea. Have a star named after your intended, only with her first name and your last name (or your last names hyphenated, if you prefer.)

HOW TO PULL IT OFF: Take her to a scenic vista with plenty of star-gazing spots. Give her the document to open, and then say “I want to spend the rest of my life star-gazing with you. Will you marry me?” Spend the rest of the night picking out “your” star.

THE PROPOSAL: GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FEMININE SIDE

We know it’s not macho, but women do stuff like this all the time. Drop in on your local craft circle and get some knitting tips. Embroider “Will You Marry Me?” on a table cloth. Bonus points for multiple languages.

HOW TO PULL IT OFF: Invite her to an intimate dinner for two at home. When she gets up to go to the bathroom, switch your old everyday table cloth for your handcrafted masterpiece. Wait and see how long it takes her to notice. When she does, pull off dinner plate cover to reveal ring box. Say, “Honey, now you know that when I said I’d do anything for you, I really meant anything. Will you marry me?”

THE PROPOSAL: SAIL AWAY WITH ME, HONEY

If you two are sailing sweethearts, a romantic moonlight sail is your perfect Valentine’s Day proposal.

HOW TO PULL IT OFF: Wait until the moonlight is just right, and then tell her you have a Valentine’s Day present for her. Give her this beautiful silver compass and tell her “With you, I can never lose my way. Will you marry me?” Have the compass engraved with a special message for a perfect proposal memento. Bonus points if she wears it on the wedding day.

NOTE: If you don’t sail, another idea is to take her on a drive and pretend to get really lost. At the last moment, pull into a romantic spot, give her the compass and say, “I’m never lost as long as I’m with you. Will you marry me?”

THE PROPOSAL: BUTTERFLIES IN FLIGHT

Make the location of your Valentine’s Day Proposal a huge surprise! Take her to a tropical butterfly museum for an exotic proposal she’ll love re-telling.

HOW TO PULL IT OFF: Get on one knee and say “Honey, you’ve given me butterflies since the moment I met you. This is my chance to give some butterflies back to you. Will you marry me?”

THE PROPOSAL: YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO YOUNG…

Especially if you have been high school sweethearts or together for a long time, this Valentine’s Day proposal is a sweet gesture. Plan a kid-themed day of amusement, ending with a timeless proposal. Spend a day swinging on swings, picking apples at an orchard, wading in a creek, and flying kites. At the end of the day, surprise her with either a grade-school style valentine that says “Will you Marry Me?” or even more classic, a simple folded “Will you Marry me? Check Yes or No” note.

THE PROPOSAL: BUILD-A-BEAR MARRIAGE . . .

What is sweeter then given her a cuddly bear? Given her a cuddly bear with a marriage proposal! Create a “Proposal Bear”. With hundreds of Build-A-Bear Workshops around, getting a hold of one won’t be hard. Stop by your local Build-A-Bear and pick out a bear. Before stuffing the bear you will be given the option to insert a message box. Select a personal message box and record your proposal. Place the box inside of the bear and then continue the process of it. Once your bear is created you can dress it how ever you would like to but keep in mind they do have wedding dresses and tuxedoes. This way you will have a romantic proposal along with a keepsake!

And if you are one of the lucky ladies to get engaged over the holiday, be sure to let us know!!!!!

I’d love to hear your story! How did he propose? Leave it in the comments and we’ll repost it again soon for others to enjoy your story!

The final day of Christmas is upon us. I am sad to see this fun little tradition pass, but time to focus now on the upcoming wedding season. So I leave you with the final nuggets of information and images of inspiration for the 2009 Christmas season (yes, I know its 2010 now). It is the last night and what a night for a party! Taking from all the events leading up to this point, Twelfth night is a true Masquerade Ball!

This is a symbol for the twelve tenets of the Catholic faith laid out in the prayer, “The Apostles’ Creed”. The drummers may provide the cadence for reciting this prayer.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” seems to have become a popular carol in its day without anyone ever figuring out that it really was the profession of a faith that England had made illegal.

With the twelfth day we have reached the end of the song and have arrived at the last day of Christmas known as Twelfth Night on which the partying and feasting continued. Twelfth Night is the night before Epiphany which is the day the three Wise Men, also known as the Three Kings or Magi, from the East arrived in Bethlehem bringing gifts to the Christ child.

By the Middle Ages the drum, which was probably introduced to Europe from the Middle East by knights returning from the Crusades, had become a common instrument. Among its other uses was to combine it with the trumpet to get people’s attention when making a big announcement such as the arrival of the king or the reading of an important proclamation. In this case the drum was used to announce the serving of the next course of the feast.

Among other customs in England as well as France and other West European countries was the making and serving of a special Kings’ Cake for this twelfth night celebration (the practice of making and serving a special King’s Cake survives today in the U.S. as a part of the Mardi Gras celebrations.

The song and the twelve day celebration have now come to an end. But it is not the end of the season. For the day after Twelfth Night is the Feast of the Epiphany, another religious holiday associated with Christmas. While mainly just a religious observance in the U.S., Epiphany is also a day of both religious and secular celebrating in other countries.

While the solstice has passed and the days are slowly beginning to lengthen again, winter still holds the land in its grip. The work of the peasant and noble is light as it is still too early to begin planting while the the cold and continuing short days remain an incentive to stay inside and party. So the party season will continue, with Epiphany and continuing through the season of Mardi Gras up until Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of the Lenten season.

Adding spice to your life,

Lia

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Eleven Pipers Piping . . .

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Ten Lords a-Leaping . . .

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Nine Ladies Dancing . . .

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Eight Maids a-Milking . . .

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Seven Swans a-Swimming . . .

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Six Geese a-Laying . . .

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Five Golden Rings . . .

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Four Colly Birds . . .

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Three French Hens . . .

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Two Turtle Doves . . .

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, A Partridge in a Pear Tree . . .

We are only two days away from the conclusion of the Twelve Days of Christmas, and it has certainly been an enlightening experience for me to journey through this song. Finding new inspirations for the various boards has also been a lot of fun. So let’s enjoys the final days.

The religious interpretation is quite predictable, and in some ways actually ties well into the other views. Since the eleven faithful apostles who followed Jesus spread his message after his death, there is a natural correlation between pipers, who announce information and these followers. You may be saying to yourself that there were 12 apostles, but remember, only 11 were faithful, one betrayed him.

Sitting around, watching your sheep was a pretty boring job. So, shepherds often would play their pipes.  It is believed that on the night Jesus was born, shepherds were playing.  There is also a rumor that while Rome burned, Nero wasn’t fiddling, rather playing the bagpipes!

By the 9th century, the bagpipe was the instrument for all medieval celebrations.  This music had only one single line of melody, which suited the bagpipe quite nicely, especially for dances called caroles.

At the big feasts held during the holiday celebrations the guests were often entertained by musicians, dancers, jugglers, etc. as well as singing and dancing themselves. Bagpipes and their younger cousins the musette (an instrument similar to a bagpipe but the air for the sound came from bellows rather than blowing into the instrument) were popular instruments for dance music. While we usually associate the bagpipe with Scotland, they were also a common instrument in France as well. In France, the bagpipe was popular as an accompaniment for dance. Many French musicians often played the musette as entertainment for Twelfth Night celebrations. Since Queen Elizabeth I was succeeded by the Stuart kings of Scotland, bagpipes and other aspects of Scots culture were common among the upper classes in England as were elements of French culture due to intermarriage of the English and French nobility.

And for you who feel cheated that there are no bagpipes in our imagination board!

POPS Extras!

Adding spice to your life,

Lia

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Ten Lords a-Leaping . . .

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Nine Ladies Dancing . . .

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Eight Maids a-Milking . . .

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Seven Swans a-Swimming . . .

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Six Geese a-Laying . . .

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Five Golden Rings . . .

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Four Colly Birds . . .

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Three French Hens . . .

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Two Turtle Doves . . .

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, A Partridge in a Pear Tree . . .

Here is a reminder of the Ten Commandments.

The ten lords a-leaping most likely refers to leaping dancers who performed leaping dances between courses at feasts. This type of wild and strenuous dancing probably evolved from more ancient war and fertility dances. Such as the rituals of the early Roman priests. Roman priests, in honor of Mars, the Roman god of vegetation and war, would leap as high as they could in the air in hopes of inducing the corn to grow during the Salii ritual. It was believed that the height of their leap would be the height of the corn. Part of the costumes for these rituals included swords, which also finds its way into dances of the, Morris dancers. In Britain, the lords a-leaping are assumed to be Morris dancers, highly costumed ceremonial folk, who performed between the courses of a Christmas feast.  One form of Morris dancing included swords.  In this dance, ten men in two teams performed intricate patterns, ending with the swords being braided together to form a Lock or Nut above the Lord of Misrule (during the Twelfth Night Celebration).  In other Morris dancing, instead of swords, antlers were worn. Unlike the nine ladies dancing in the previous stanza where the dancers appear to have been guests dancing for enjoyment, these were professional dancers brought in to entertain the guests while they dined.

Morris dancing itself was a popular form of folk dancing in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and possibly earlier. Both King Henry VIII and his daughter Queen Elizabeth I had professional Morris dance troupes perform as part of the entertainment at feasts. Many parish church records from this period show both expenses for the purchase of costumes and the bells that the dancers wore while performing as well as income from the rental of the costumes to neighboring parishes. While the royal court and other nobles would probably hire professional Morris dance troupes to perform at social functions year round, local amateur groups seem to have done most of their performances in conjunction with annual May Day and other outdoor spring festivals. Morris dancing declined following the English Civil Wars of the mid-seventeenth century which brought Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans to power with their dislike and banning of any type of frivolity such as singing and dancing. The twentieth century brought a revival of the Morris and other folk dancing traditions in the UK and other parts of the world including the U.S. Today there are local Morris dance troupes and competitions in the UK as well as other parts of the world.

Adding spice to your life,

Lia

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Nine Ladies Dancing . . .

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Eight Maids a-Milking . . .

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Seven Swans a-Swimming . . .

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Six Geese a-Laying . . .

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Five Golden Rings . . .

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Four Colly Birds . . .

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Three French Hens . . .

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Two Turtle Doves . . .

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, A Partridge in a Pear Tree . . .

As normal, I will start with the protestant interpretation for the nine ladies dancing. The dancers represent the nine fruits of the spirit: love joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

As for the alternative interpretation, the images are a bit more literal. The nine ladies dancing evoke images of music and dancing which were a big part of the celebrations at this period of history in England. The term “ladies” probably refers to noble ladies as in a Lord and his Lady or a lady in waiting (high born ladies who waited on the queen at court – not servant women). In this case ladies would be women dancing socially and not professional entertainers. For the most part women were not entertainers in this era so it is unlikely that this refers to a troupe of dancing women.

Another interpretation of the nine ladies dancing would be high born ladies dancing for the entertainment
of the men much as people today will often provide impromptu entertainment at parties and other social gatherings. Again, the emphasis is on celebrating and having fun during this nearly two weeks of non-stop nightly partying.

Dances were known as caroles.  During the Middle Ages, the carole was very popular court entertainment.   But, prior to this time, dancing was considered a sin of the flesh and was connected with the devil.  Since most dances were done in circles, the direction in which one danced also mattered.   Slowly, dancing got accepted — but only if done in the correct direction! The Christian church considered dancing to the left = bad, but dancing to the right = good. However, many non-Christian people danced from left to right because they were worshiping the sun (round) as a way of representing the sun’s movement from east to west. The sun was a priority in many dances. They didn’t do it as a form of evil.   In some cases, the dances were done in a circle around a fire. The fire represented the sun’s light, warmth and purifying qualities.  Eventually, the Christian church failed in banning dancing, especially in circles going left. And, by the 15th century the word for carole was replaced with the word branle, because dancing was then associated with songs.  Eventually, the songs turned into stories, like those about Christmas.  This is how the term Christmas Carols came about. As the years went on, the round dance grew into many different types of dances.

Dancing and fire are two images immediately conjured up for me in my research. The dancing style of east to west made me start thinking about the favorite part of my job – cultural fusion. I recently met a new Laotian bride and was inspired by her culture. I included a few of the beautiful traditional elements of dance and bridal wear hear for you to digest. Enjoy this fiery board.

Adding spice to your life,

Lia

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Eight Maids a-Milking . . .

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Seven Swans a-Swimming . . .

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Six Geese a-Laying . . .

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Five Golden Rings . . .

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Four Colly Birds . . .

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Three French Hens . . .

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Two Turtle Doves . . .

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, A Partridge in a Pear Tree . . .

The Eight Maids a-Milking may be one of the most interesting play on words in the song I’ve come across so far, if it doesn’t end up being the most interesting! But as normal, let’s cover the religious view first. There is definitely sufficient substance to create an imagination board from this as well, but I was drawn into the alternative story! In the Protestant interpretation, the eight maids a-milking stand for each of the eight Beatitudes: 1) Blessed are the poor in spirit, 2) those who mourn, 3) the meek, 4) those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 5) the merciful, 6) the pure in heart, 7) the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. (Matthew 5:3-10)

Alternatively, the eight maids a-milking address two of the major themes of fifteenth and sixteenth century English celebrations and parties during the Christmas holidays – food and romance. What is a feast or party without food? Especially foods that are not common and are reserved for special occasions.

Until the advent of refrigeration, milk was not a common drink because it spoiled quickly. However, milk based products that did not spoil, such as cheese, sour milk (which is actually a cultured milk much like yogurt and is neither sour tasting nor spoiled) and custards were prized treats. Cheese and sour milk are the result of processes that expose milk to so called friendly bacteria which convert the milk to a state where it can be preserved for a longer period and is also tasty. Custard is similar but this involves the cooking of the milk, which kills the harmful bacteria thereby extending the period during which it can be safely consumed. In 18th century England, they played a game on Christmas night called “Yawning for the Chesire Cheese.”  OK, now we all know that yawning is addictive.  It’s really hard to not yawn when you see someone yawn. Well, back in those days they had yawning contests.  And, the person who made the widest and longest yawn — and who produced the greatest yawns in return — won the cheese!

Remember earlier when I told you there were a lot of sexual connotations to this song that I never realized, well, here is probably the best example yet!

The maids, of course, refer to the women who would milk the cows to obtain the milk in the first place. In times past milking of cows or goats was typically a job for women. However, the term maid is also the shortened form of maiden which is a young, unmarried woman. By combining the images of maiden and milk (which can also bring to mind a woman’s breasts), it is easy to get the idea that this particular gift has more to do with sex and romance than with cows.

The term eight maids a-milking evokes images of the food, especially the special holiday foods, to be enjoyed at this festive time of year as well as the possibilities for romance, both licit and illicit. While the people of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries were not as prudish as the nineteenth century Victorians, there was still pressure, especially for women, to maintain a somewhat chaste image in public. Young upper class (both merchant class and nobility) women were usually chaperoned when in public and when being courted by young men. However, during the Twelfth Night celebrations not only were many of the rules of behavior relaxed but the environment in which the parties were held provided opportunities to escape the watchful eyes of the public. In the midst of a large group of people, many of them strangers, who were busy drinking, dancing and having a good time, it was easy to slip away from one’s chaperon or spouse. Masked and costumed balls increased the opportunities for secret liaisons as well as providing additional means of denying your actions the next day. With candles and torches the sole source of lighting, it was often difficult to identify people across the room let alone in the numerous rooms and darkened alcoves found in the castles and large manor houses where the parties were held. The opportunities offered for some passionate time alone with a lover or a quick one night stand with a stranger was a major attraction of these parties.

Further evidence of the sexual connotations of this stanza is the fact that during this time period in England the term to go a-milking had strong romantic and sexual connotations. It was a term that men used when they wanted to ask a woman to marry them or to have a simple sexual encounter. Like similar expressions people use today, asking a woman to go a-milking was a code used by men to test a woman’s response to their intentions. Words have meaning and they carry emotional impact. Requests also require a response. Will you marry me and will you go a-milking with me may convey the same message but the nonsense phrase go a-milking does not carry the emotional impact of marry me or come to bed with me. Coded phrases like this allow people to converse more freely while at the same time allowing them to retract a statement more easily. When a man asks a woman to marry him and she says “No” what can he respond back with without looking desperate and/or foolish? But, when he asks a woman to go a-milking with him and she replies with a “No” he can easily come back with something like well, I just thought you would like to help me with the cows. In this case his proposal was received and understood but rejected, at least temporarily. However both are able to dismiss it as a misunderstanding of what he really meant. Both laugh and can proceed without loss of dignity on either side.

Food, drink, masks, proposals, cheese and romance are all the images I have swimming in my head after reading the back story. So here it is.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Seven Swans a-Swimming . . .

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Six Geese a-Laying . . .

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Five Golden Rings . . .

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Four Colly Birds . . .

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Three French Hens . . .

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Two Turtle Doves . . .

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, A Partridge in a Pear Tree . . .

The number seven is a popular number for many religious groups. The Christian interpretation for the seven swans relates to the seven principles outlined by the apostle Paul: prophecy, service, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership and compassion. The Pheras (Vows of Marriage) in the Hindu wedding ceremony are very similar to these principles as well, and again uses the number seven as the vow base.

Seven Vows in Hindu Wedding

• The bride and the groom take the first step of the seven vows to pledge that they would provide a prospered living for the household or the family that they would look after and avoid those that might hinder their healthy living.
  
• During the second step of the seven pheras, the bride and the groom promise that they would develop their physical, mental and spiritual powers in order to lead a lifestyle that would be healthy.
  
• During the third vow, the couple promises to earn a living and increase by righteous and proper means, so that their materialistic wealth increases manifold.
  
• While taking the fourth vow, the married couple pledges to acquire knowledge, happiness and harmony by mutual love, respect, understanding and faith.
  
• The fifth vow taken is to expand their heredity by having children, for whom, they will be responsible. They also pray to be blessed with healthy, honest and brave children.
  
• While taking the sixth step around the sacred fire, the bride and the groom pray for self-control of the mind, body and soul and longevity of their marital relationship.
  
• When the bride and the groom take the seventh and the last vow, they promise that they would be true and loyal to each other and would remain companions and best of friends for the lifetime.
  

And yet more . . .

On the seventh day the lover sends seven swans. Throughout history swans have been associated with royalty and the swan is often used on royal symbols and other decorations. Swans are also found in myths and folk tales dealing with love.

Because many water-fowl could both fly and swim, the ancients had a real fascination with them. Many believed that these animals had a connection between natural and supernatural worlds.   The migrations of some birds (disappearing when days grew short and coming when they grew longer) also added to their beliefs.   Egypt linked swans with immortality, just like they did the geese.   The Greek priests, who worship Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, are believed to be descended from swans.  Old Celtic and British myths believe that lost loved ones turn into swans, with gold or silver
chains on their necks to symbolize their enchantment.  The transformation is believed to take place during their Samhain festival, where the gates of the other worlds open up and souls are free to pass.

Swan meat is supposed to be quite tasty and from ancient times to the nineteenth century, roast swan was on the menu for the king’s Christmas dinners and other royal banquets. King Edward of England, in 1304 took his vows of knighthood over two white swans decorated with gold nets and crowns.  Since then, the swans became associated with royalty; and, having swans was strictly exclusive to the monarchy.  In Britain today, the swan is still considered a symbol of royalty. Since the nineteenth century, the turkey has replaced the swan as the bird of choice for fall and winter holiday feasts.

With its close connection to royalty and royal holiday feasting, the choice of seven swans as a gift for this high born lady from her lover is appropriate.

Since the Christian principles are similarly shared across cultures in wedding vows. As a non Western interpretation, I am taking the liberty to apply the seven swans to the Hindu vow steps. Today’s inspiration features some of my favorite elements of wedding design, blending culturally different elements.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Six Geese a-Laying . . .

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Five Golden Rings . . .

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Four Colly Birds . . .

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Three French Hens . . .

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Two Turtle Doves . . .

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, A Partridge in a Pear Tree . . .

By ebrage

Afrikaans – Voorspoedige nuwe jaar

Chinese/Cantonese – Sun nien fai lok

Chinese/Mandarin – Xin nian yu kuai

Czech – Štastný Nový rok 2009 ( Note: Czechs usually add the year to the Happy New Year phrase. Czechs also send greeting cards which say, “PF 2009.” The PF stands for the French words pour féliciter.)

Danish – Godt NytÅr

Dutch – Gelukkig Nieuwjaar

Filipino – Manigong Bagong Taon sa inyong lahat (Translates as “Happy New Year to All.” Note: Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon is more traditional, meaning “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

Finnish – Onnellista uutta vuotta

French – Bonne Année

German – Ein glückliches neues Jahr (Translates as “A Happy New Year”; some might say Prosit Neujahr! which is a toast to the New Year.)

Greek – Chronia Polla (Translates into “many years.” It is used also for birthdays, holidays, and patron saints’ name days.)

Hawaiian – Hau ‘oli Makahiki Hou (A classic Happy New Year greeting); Aloha Makahiki Hou (a more current form of the greeting)

Hebrew – Shana Tova

Italian – Felice Anno Nuovo

Japanese – Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu or shinnen omeditogozaimasu

Korean – Sahae bok mani baduseyo (Translates as “Receive a lot of luck for the New Year.”)

Maori – Kia hari te tau hou (Have an enjoyable New Year).

Portuguese – Feliz Ano Novo (Appropriate both in Portugal and Brazil)

Russian – S Novim Godom (Happy New Year); S nastupayušcim Novym Godom (Translates as congrats on the approaching new year.)

Spanish – ¡Feliz Año Nuevo! and Próspero Año Nuevo

Swedish – Gott Nytt År

Thai – Sawatdee Pi Ma (Greeting the New Year)

Turkish – yeni yiliniz kutlu olsun (May your New Year be happy); Yeni yilinizi kutlar, saglik ve basarilar dileriz (We wish you a happy, healthy and successful new year)

Vietnamese – Vietnamese – Chúc Mung Nam Moi (A classical Vietnamese Happy New Year greeting); Cung Chúc Tân Xuân (Vietnamese Sino expression for Happy New Year); Làm an phát tài bang nam bang muoi nam ngoái (Prosperity; good luck in business ventures, 10 times more than last year)

Welsh – Blwyddyn Newydd Dda (Translates as Happy New Year, however the literal translation of Dda is “good.”)

So many exciting things on the horizon for Full Circle Eventi this year.  Stay tuned!  And join us tomorrow and Sunday at the Hyatt in Dearborn for the Bride’s To Be Bridal Expo!  We look forward to meeting you!

Happy New Year

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, six geese a laying . . .

I was surprisingly inspired by today’s six geese, but in a different way than the previous days. I’m going to do things a little backwards today, because my inspiration actually comes from the religious interpretation instead of the secular as it has in days past.

So here’s the scoop. Geese were among the first birds to be domesticated. Our Neolithic ancestors discovered that, rather than spending days searching for animals to kill or nests to rob, it was easier to capture them live and keep them penned by the cave. The heard or flock could be increased by having them mate. The food supply became more regular as one could just go outside and slaughter a bird or other animal in the pen for meat or collect eggs from the fowl nesting in the enclosure. Since geese were a common barnyard fowl in England and been the topic of a lot of folklore, it is natural that geese were included in the carol, Also, over time, goose became a traditional Christmas meal.

Because of their migration habits, they were often considered to be a symbol of the solar year and also fertility. Ancient Egyptians believed that a mummy’s soul rose up in the form of a goose with a human head.  The Roman goddess, Juno (rules heaven and marriages), considered the goose sacred. Why? In 387 B.C. the geese in her temple cackled and honked, warning the Romans that barbarians were close. Ever since then, the geese were honored for their protective services.   Medieval seafarers had a strange tale on the origin of the goose.  It seems that on the hull of their ships grew this long, goose-shaped barnacle.  Coincidentally, there was also an Arctic goose that migrated around England. Since this goose and the barnacle looked a lot alike, the sailors said that the goose originated from the barnacle and in some tales a seaside tree.

Why was this so important? Well, because the goose came from a tree it was suddenly all right to eat because it was then considered a ‘fruit’ and not the ‘flesh of animals.’ By the 18th century, the goose was the customary Christmas dinner.  The boar had been hunted to extinction, so it was no longer served. But, many homes served a string of sausages around the goose as a reminder of the boar in days past.

While geese were among the first animals to be domesticated, they were not, and still are not, as common as chickens in barnyards. The reason is that they are not as prolific as chickens in terms of laying eggs. While chickens lay eggs regularly, geese only lay 30 to 50 eggs per year. This limits their usefulness as egg producers and also means that it takes longer to increase the size of the flock for meat production. While geese are known to mate for life, the mating is not monogamous as the males will often mate with multiple females making for a lifetime polygamous relationship. Of course, this helps in breeding as you can cull the males for meat, while keeping a larger portion of the flock in the form of egg laying females, knowing that the remaining males can be counted on to mate and fertilize the eggs of all of the females.

It is thus interesting to note that our lover has given his true love six female geese that are currently laying eggs, thereby providing her with both a supply of eggs as well as the possibility of increasing her flock by allowing them to be fertilized and hatched. Being larger than chickens, the eggs of geese are also larger than chicken eggs. Goose eggs are also very rich tasting and are good for making deserts. So, here we are again, six days into the twelve day celebration and the focus remains on foods for the feasting.

Now as for today’s board, it stems from the religious interpretation of the 6 geese laying as the six days of creation that confesses God as Creator and Sustainer of the world.

Day 1: The heavens, the earth, light and darkness.

Day 2: Heaven

Day 3: Dry land, the seas, and vegetation.

Day 4: The sun, the moon and the stars.

Day 5: Living creatures in the water, birds in the air.

Day 6: Land animals and people

So here are the elements of the six days included in this Garden of Eden Observatory wedding.

Adding spice to your life,

Lia

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Five Golden Rings . . .

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Four Colly Birds . . .

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Three French Hens . . .

On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, Two Turtle Doves . . .

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, A Partridge in a Pear Tree . . .