Happy New Year!  Today is the celebration of the Chinese New Year - the year of the sheep… um… goat… um… ram?  Which one is it?  You may have seen all of these animals in reference to this year's celebration… and they are ALL correct.  According to a report on NPR today entitled Whatever Floats Your Goat, the Chinese word for the year is yang.  "Some Chinese words are vague and not as specific as English words, so yang could refer to a goat, a sheep, or even a ram."  While the goat is more commonly seen in China and Vietnam, the sheep is the symbol for Korea to denote this year's celebration.   And according to an article on the China Highlights website:
 
"Actually, Chinese people are also not quite sure about that. In Chinese the word 羊 (yáng) is a generic term, and can refer to a sheep (绵羊), goat (山羊), ram/buck (公羊 male sheep or goat), 羚羊 (antelope), etc. There is a lack of clear definition on the zodiac "Goat" in Chinese history."

Now that the confusion has been figured out (HA!), let's talk about what this upcoming year symbolizes and the predictions for the year.  Experts in Chinese astrology are calling for an 'unforgettable year."  The overall theme for the year is "creativity and diligence resulting in prosperity."  According to The Examiner:

"Opportunities to change the world for the better abound as long as humanity works together," the website writes. "Prosperity and wellbeing for all is possible as long as we actively move away from chaos."

Those individuals born in the Chinese sign of the Goat are described as group oriented, honest, creative, stable, gentle and compassionate.  Many Asian families do not want their child born in the Year of the Goat - There is a popular Chinese folk saying 'Only one out of ten people born in a year of the Goat finds happiness' (十羊九不全), which means most babies born in a year of the Goat are destined for failed marriages, unhappy families, and bad luck.  Most Chinese people also believe that babies born in a Goat year will grow up to be followers rather than leaders.  While this may be an "outdated" notion, it has a real affect on Chinese society and financial markets.

As most of you already know, my husband and I got married in October of 2014.  We had a wonderful time, received many wonderful gifts and monetary offerings to celebrate our wedded bliss.  Now what?  Now we are going through the process of sending out Thank You Cards… what is the protocol there?  What is the proper etiquette for this tradition?

From many of the elders in my family, I have heard 6 months.  On some internet blogs and posts, I have heard up to one year!?  I thought you were supposed to be eating the top of your wedding cake on your one year anniversary!?  Who to believe?  According to the Huffington Post in their article, "Wedding Etiquette Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making,":


"You don’t have a year to send out thank-you cards. You have three months, tops. And for gifts sent before the wedding, try to get your thank-yous out within two weeks of receiving the gift."



OH CRAP!  I am already over the three month deadline!  How will people know that I am actually grateful and thankful? (Note: I am actually in the process of hand-writing the notes as well, since the pre-printed message is apparently "passé" as well)

How long did it take you and your beloved to send out Thank-You notes?  Did you write personalized letters or did you have something pre-printed?

So, you just got engaged and everyone is asking the question of the hour, "So when are you getting married?  When is the big day?"  We all know that weddings, whether big or small, take planning (even though I went from engaged to married in 10 short weeks, every single day was full of planning, whether cake tasting, or talking to the DJ, or having a mid-week meeting with the caterer).  Most of the time, if you go to a venue that you both really connect to, their "prime wedding dates" are already taken (sometimes, for the next 2 - 3 years!)  Have you ever considered the opportunities that exist in having a winter wedding?

Just a couple of great reasons to consider a winter wedding:

• You are probably getting a venue at the "off season" rates and discounts from many vendors, which can save you a considerable amount of money.
• You are giving your guests, family, friends, and significant other something to really look forward to in the dark winter months.
• You really have a reason to honeymoon in a warm location!
• The color palette for your flowers, dresses, and decorations are exquisite!
• You won't be battling through massive amounts of wedding traffic during "prime season" in the spring and summer months.

When I think of winter, I think of pine cones, snowflakes, snowmen, cranberries, hot chocolate, candles and fireplaces.  I think of the brightest color palette possible to stand out against a white snowy winter backdrop (evergreen, cranberry red, midnight blue, silver, gold).  Have a hot chocolate bar; have the bridal party engage in a snowball fight for the pictures; include candles and fire for the prettiest glow.  For more ideas, check out this link from Buzzfeed: 42 Lovely Ideas for a Cold-Weather Wedding

How can I best serve you in creating a ceremony for your winter wedding ceremony?

That statement is true in every day, in every way, we are receiving a blessing by being alive for another day.  There are so many wonderful things in the world to be thankful for - and now, we have different "holidays" to  celebrate and commemorate the plethora of wonders in our world.  

You may have heard of Administrative Professionals Day (April 22nd), Sweetest Day (October 17th) or the wonderfully decadent National Donut Day (June 5th).  But did you know that every day has a significance?  

For instance, today, February 5th is National Weatherperson's Day.  Today we honor all the weathermen and weatherwomen who work hard to predict the fickleness of Mother Nature.  Knowing the weather patterns, even if not always 100% accurate, can assist with emergencies, evacuations, and, in my line of work, whether ceremonies occur outdoors or indoors.  It affects travel, how we dress, and, in extreme circumstances, it can save lives (much as it did when Winter Storm Juno hit the Northeast at the end of January - by knowing the pattern and weather predictions, government officials were able to institute travel bans and keep people off the roads in hazardous conditions).  


According to The Air Force News, Weatherman's Day "commemorates the birth of John Jeffries, one of America's first weathermen."  John Jeffries was born on February 5th, 1744 and he kept weather records from 1774 to 1816. 

Happy 2015 all!  I know my posts have been scarce, few and far between since June of 2014.  In that time, I performed 26 wedding ceremonies to some of the most beautiful couples in the world.  Additionally, I got to actually be the recipient of a beautiful ceremony when I married my fiancé on October 26th, 2014.  My darling Christopher and I were married at 67 Steps Beach in Greenport, NY; our reception was held at Hallockville Museum Farm in Riverhead, NY.  Then there were birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, bouts of the flu for my husband and myself, and of course, Winter Storms Juno and Linus blanketing my hometown in 30+ inches of the white stuff.

Groundhog Day goes back to the ancient Celtic celebration of Imbolc, also celebrated on February 2nd.  Also know as Candlemas or Brigid's Day and celebrated halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, this is the day we celebrate the passing of the Winter and the path we create for the Spring to arrive; in other words, we are celebrating the beginning of the agricultural year.  We also celebrate the Celtic Goddess Brigid on this day - the goddess of fertility and abundance.  On Imbolc Eve, Brigid was said to visit virtuous households and bless the inhabitants.  The Goddess Brigid represents the half of the year when we see light - her power was believed to bring people from the dark season of winter into the Springtime.  To celebrate, many Wiccans and followers of the Goddess Brigid will light multiple candles and lights throughout their household, in remembrance of the passing of the Winter and the beginning of the Spring.

So, during this time of moving into the light, what challenges do you currently have that need to move into the healing light?  How can you move, spiritually, emotionally, and physically into the light and out of the darkness?