tradition

Happy New Year 2012

This year, rather than go into the Dublin City center to have some crazy party and trouble getting back out, I went over to Paddy’s flat for the New Year’s Eve celebrations. It was a grand party, with plenty of people, a bit of foosball, and one interesting tradition that I was familiar with from living in Germany – the fortune telling by melting lead over a candle. I have been wanting to explain this – and it’s slightly amusing that I had to come to Dublin – to see a German tradition in action.

The spoon and lead

Basically, what happens is that you buy this package of lead that is in various “lucky” shapes. These are things like coins, pigs, mushrooms, etc. (I’m not sure why some are lucky – but each culture has their own connections). You take the spoon and hold it lightly over a candle and get the lead warm until it melts…

Melty Melty little lead

Once the lead is melted, you quickly pour it into a bowl of ice water (you can see the ice water in the bottom here)

New Year 2012

The lead quickly hardens – and then you pluck it out.. and try to determine what shape your lead piece has taken –

Is it a flower?

Is it a butterfly?
That's a lump of lead!

Is it a blob or a thumb’s up?
Rock on!

Once you kind of determine what shape it is – you look on the back of the package and get your “fortune” for the next year –

Fortunes on the box

some of which are quite amusing – even if you have to translate from German.

About the time this was complete, it was time to pop our head out the door for the New Year’s count down, and midnight kisses all around. Welcome to 2012 – the end year of the Mayan Calendar. Here’s hoping it’s a great one!

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Homemade Valentines

Here in Ireland, they celebrate Valentine’s day differently than the states. Basically, it’s a day for couples – and not so much the day where you show appreciation for everyone that you love.

In the spirit of America’s “kids”, I decided to make some homemade Valentines for my colleagues at work. The goal was to make them as punny/cheesy as possible because they’d all heard of “school” style Valentines Day from having watched the Simpsons. (I choo-choo-choose you, Valentine.) I also included some candy hearts with each one, and would like to think that it made them smile at the corny-ness of it all.

Without further adieu, the Valentines – made out of cardstock, decorations, and my own sad sense of humor.

set of 4

First Set of 4 all say:
“Valentine, I Dig You!”
“Bee Mine”
“Valentine, I Ad-ROAR You!”
“Valentine You’re a Star!”

Second Set of 4:

Second set of 4

Valentine I’m Falling For You!
No Bones About it – You’re My Valentine!
Daisies just wouldn’t be the same without you, Valentine!
Valentine – You set My Heart A “flutter”.

Here’s hoping your Valentine’s was as filled with love as mine!

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