A couple of years ago I posted an easy tutorial for a tapa copycat. So this year since I am adding Polynesian traditions to my holiday festivities as well as trying to be a better steward of the earth (see my Be Pono post) I have return to my brown paper bag tapa. You probably already have all the materials. Brown paper bag? Check. (Kraft paper works as well, but brown paper bags are as easy as Keep Reading >>
Polynesian Christmas: Tapa Patterns
Tapa (kapa in some regions) is the bark cloth commonly found in the Pacific islands. Polynesians decorated the tapa with geometric and repeated patterns. While cotton and other textiles have replaced tapa for apparel, Polynesians do still wear tapa for special occasions, such as weddings. They do continue to use tapa cloth as floor coverings, blankets, and room dividers. While the tapa isn't in Keep Reading >>
Polynesian Christmas: Monstera Leaf Drop Dish
Who doesn't need a drop dish? Only someone without keys, wallet, spare change, pocket lint ... you get the idea. I thought a dish inspired by the monstera leaves would be fun and festive. So after a quick review of this tutorial I set to work. I used air dry clay so my kids could play too. Unforutnately all I could find was terracotta clay. No problem, I thought. More natural. However Keep Reading >>
Polynesian Christmas: Island-Style Snowman Snacktivity
I'll be honest: I've never seen something like this the whole time I lived in Hawaii. In fact, at dinner after we made these we tried to figure out the logistics of making a snowman out of sand. Not to be confused with the sandman. So no. I'm not going to pretend this is one authentic Polynesian delicacy. But it's fun. This is Christmas, not an anthropological thesis. So if you're a purist Keep Reading >>
Polynesian Christmas: Be Pono
Throughout our most recent trip to Hawaii I noticed Be Pono written almost everywhere. While this injunction doesn't have a single literal translation from Hawaiian to English, it roughly means be righteous. The word pono evokes the sacredness with which the ancient Hawaiians viewed their role as collaborators and stewards of the land. It speaks of balance and goodness. In fact, the state motto Keep Reading >>
Polynesian Christmas: Mele Kalikimaka
But what about the rest of the islands, you say? I don't have a Bing Crosby song for each translation. However I can still be your own little dictionary for Christmas greetings in the dominant Polynesian languages. Hawaiian: Mele KalikimakaSamoan: Manuia le KirisimasiTongan: Kilisimasi Fiefia Tahitian: 'ia 'oa'oa i te NoeraMaori: Meri Kirihimete Fijian: Marau na Kerisimasi During Keep Reading >>
Polynesian Christmas: GIVEAWAY
My family loves puzzles. Interestingly, our biggest advocate for puzzles has been our youngest son, now 4 years old. If you're now picturing those adorable wooden toddler puzzles you'd be greatly mistaken. This kid prefers nothing less than a 500 piecer to keep us going for days. Yes, it's true he can't complete a puzzle on his own. But he can actually do a lot more than I originally gave Keep Reading >>
Polynesian Christmas
I had so much fun with our Nordic Christmas last year. We found so many new traditions to incorporate into our family! I could hardly wait to get started with this year's Christmas theme. Our family opted for something a bit warmer this year. Michigan is lovely but it is not a tropical paradise. However we have chosen to take our warm memories and learn some new traditions to brighten and warm Keep Reading >>
Nordic Christmas: Looking Back
You know what? Planning a themed holiday was a lot more daunting before I started. In the end Nordic Christmas worked out really well. I learned a few things. The structure gave me focus on days I might have treated like any other Tuesday. And I definitely found a few new traditions I want to keep in our family. This post is part of our series exploring Nordic Christmas traditions. To see the Keep Reading >>
Good Grief! A Charlie Brown Christmas Music GIVEAWAY
You know the music. You can probably recite full sections of the movie. We all have visceral childhood memories connected with A Charlie Brown Christmas. (For me it was watching it at the home of my step mother's mother's house while the adults cooked and talked and talked and talked. If you ask me that movie is not long enough for how much grown ups talk. Also it's sweet and charming and innocent Keep Reading >>