Lunar New Year

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” ― Oprah Winfrey

Me on Feb 18, 2024  

Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou!  That means, "Happy New Year" in ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.  

I am of three cultures, Ilocano, French-Canadian, and Korean.  I was raised with two New Year's celebrations.  Mom always called it the Korean New Year, but as I got older I learned other Asians celebrated it and have other names for it.  Most people I knew, called it Chinese New Year or Tet.  I just call it Lunar New Year to be more inclusive to all people who celebrate.  

This time of year, people usually put money in a red envelope as a gift.  The Chinese have a phonetic saying, "Gung hey fat choy," which does not mean "Happy New Year," but more along the lines of "have more money."  How cool is that?  

It's like Christmas all over again.  Gift-giving and well-wishes.  I was able to give to a woman I befriended when I lived in Oregon.  She lost her teenaged son to gun violence a few months back (article).  And then someone stole her clothes off her clothesline, so her younger children had no winter coats and she lost all her scrubs for work.  I wish people would take into consideration that some people are really struggling in life and financially, and that taking from others is damaging them more.  According to her surveillance camera footage, it was a teenager who stole the clothes.  

I hope that my little bit of money, which was basically money earned from a gratuity, can be used for warm coats.  I hope everyone does better this year.  If January 1st wasn't the beginning of a New Year, at least we have February to start again.

새해 복 많이 받으세요 (Happy New Year in Korean)

Valentine's Day 2024

My new book, "The Musubi Man."

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day came and went.  I like the holiday, but I really love Christmas more.  My husband said he really searched high and low in stores for a Chia Pet for me.  I love houseplants and I never got a Chia Pet before, so I was really hoping for one.  

We didn't exchange gifts for the actual V-Day, but I did get him Green Bay Packer's slip on sandals, and a teeshirt a week before Valentine's Day.  He got me chocolates and a forever rose from the Valentine's section of the local drug store, but two weeks before Valentine's Day.

Still, I'm more obsessed with Christmas.  I know we didn't get the annual Christmas ornament this past Christmas.  So, I was thinking I'd buy a Christmas book.  I made a mistake.  I should have read it first.

I automatically assume Gingerbread men are Christmas-related.  But, they aren't.  I don't think I ever read the full story of the "Gingerbread Man," the one that says, "Run, run, run, fast as you can.  You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man."  I found a Hawaiian version called "The Musubi Man."  There's nothing Christmassy about it.  It came in the mail today, and I was totally disappointed.  But, I will add it to my Tiki things, because I also collect Tiki mugs.  I'm bummed.  So, I am still on the hunt for a Hawaiian Christmas book.  I guess, I should get the Pidgin version of  'Twas the Night Before Christmas, this time.  

Merry All Year Long!

🥒Pickle Tradition🥒

“Christmas isn’t about candy canes or lights all aglow, it’s the hearts that we touch, and the care that we show.” – Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas

I usually shrink my photos, but I left his one large so you can read the purpose of the Christmas pickle.

I posted a Christmas pickle ornament quite a few years ago, before my split with my children's father.  When I moved away, I didn't have any of my holiday décor, as I moved over seas to Hawai‘i and couldn't take anything with me.

When I came back to the Mainland, I moved to Oregon.  I found a Christmas pickle in a Salem, Oregon Dollar Tree, and knew I HAD to have it.  It was far brighter than my old pickle ornament, and who doesn't like shiny???

Even though I'm more about tropical décor these days, I still want to have a pickle in my tree.  There's no harm in that, right? 

So, here's to my future Christmas tree.  

A side note, because my last name is now Dillard, I love finding pickle things to represent the "dill" part of my name.  It's just fun for me.  I even have a pickle tattooed on my leg holding up the shaka.  It says, "Big Kine Dill." It's a play on pidgin for "Kind of a Big Deal."

In the future, I want to buy a Christmas book written in Pidgin, it's about the Musubi Man instead of the Gingerbread Man.  I think that will be a great addition.  I have been slacking.  I used to always buy a Christmas-themed book out, because I'm not much into watching Christmas movies.  I think I would love to display the Musubi Man book and start reading more, again.