Archive for 'Holidays'

Jan201223

Jeremy

0

Holiday Giving Wrap-Up

THANK YOU! Our 2011 Holiday Giving Campaign was a great success thanks to you, our generous readers! We decided to run two campaigns this past year, one through JOIN to help a local homeless family move into stable housing, and one through Mercy Corps to help alleviate the devastating, ongoing suffering in the Horn of Africa. Readers donated a total of $1,875 to our JOIN “Home for the Holidays” effort, which, when added to our match of $1,250, gave us a grand total of $3,125. Our goal was $2,500, the amount needed to move one family into housing, so thank you thank you thank you for helping us exceed that! You also donated $2,010 to the Mercy Corps effort, which we began running in August 2011. We added $2,500 to the pot for a total of $4,510, making ours the fifth-highest earning Mercy Corps Horn of Africa pledge effort. See the results at mercycorps.org . Thank you, and a very happy new year to you all!

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Holiday Giving Wrap-Up

Dec201126

PDXrover

0

Resolutions for a Charmed Life

As the new year approaches, many of us have resolutions on the brain. What changes do we want to make in the coming year? How many of our resolutions will we actually be able to keep? My family just completed our annual list making – a Solstice tradition in our house – where we write down what we enjoyed most in the year that’s ending and what we hope to do/accomplish in the year ahead. It’s fun to look back on the current year and remember how much happened, and it’s nice to look ahead with optimism. And while New Year’s Resolutions lists often contain grand goals, it’s helpful to remember that the smallest gestures, when added up, often make the most difference. With that in mind, I’d like to share one of my favorite blog posts from the previous year: “ The Charmed Life Challenge ” from Pink of Perfection. In this mid-summer post, Pink creator Sarah McColl shares a list of small but significant gestures to make life sweeter, more beautiful and more fulfilling. I printed the list (actually a slightly edited version of the list; I don’t wear perfume or lipstick, for starters) and plan to use it to spruce up my own life in the new year. After all, happy mothers make happy families, right? If you have time, read through the list, and “ The Life Seduction Challenge ” on which it’s based. What items spark your fancy? What items would you add to your own list? What big or small changes have you included on your own New Year’s Resolutions list? Here’s to living the charmed life in 2012!

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Resolutions for a Charmed Life

Dec201112

Jeremy

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Holiday Highlights

Every week we post our What’s On this Weekend! (WOW!) blog, with listings of family-friendly events and activities around the area. That gets especially challenging during the winter holidays, when every day is packed with enticing opportunities for family fun, so we compiled a list of our favorite holiday happenings for the entire month and listed them all in one place: Holiday Highlights ! From Trains, Boats and Planes (think Cinnamon Bear Cruise, ORHF Holiday Express, Christmas at Pearson Air Museum and the Mt. Hood Polar Express Train) to Santa’s in the House (Santa on the Bricks, Macy’s Santaland, Breakfasts with Santa and more) to Twinkle, Twinkle! (Zoolights, Christmas Ships, Winter Wonderland and all the other spectacular holiday light shows around the area), there’s something for everyone in your family to enjoy every single day of the season! For a truly special family holiday experience, check the Drama, Dancing, Music and Merriment section, with plays, concerts, ballets ( Nutcracker anyone?) and more. What’s your family’s favorite holiday activity or event around town? Which ones haven’t you been to before that you’re hoping to catch this year?

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Holiday Highlights

Dec201107

PDXrover

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Donate & Receive a $20 John’s Incredible Pizza Gift Card!

Our holiday giving campaign is in full swing, with two wonderful ways to contribute, and to sweeten the deal we’re giving away five $20 gift cards to John’s Incredible Pizza to the first five readers who donate $25 or more to one (or both!) of them. Here’s the 411 on the giving campaigns: JOIN’s “Home for the Holidays” Program: Since 2008, Metro Parent and our readers have been partnering with JOIN , a local nonprofit that helps homeless people move into permanent housing, to help families down on their luck transition into stable environments – and keep them there. The cost to get a homeless family into permanent housing through JOIN is $2,500. During November and December, Metro Parent will match our readers’ donations up to a combined reader contribution of $1,250, bringing the total to $2,500. To contribute to our “Home for the Holidays” effort, visit JOIN’s website and click on the Metro Parent logo on the home page, then choose “Metro Parent Magazine Home for the Holidays” from the donation category drop-down menu. Mercy Corps/Metro Parent Match Campaign: The famine in the Horn of Africa has taken the lives of thousands -– but the suffering is far from over. The United Nations predicts that 750,000 people could starve to death over the next few months in Somalia alone. Metro Parent has been matching our readers’ donations to Mercy Corps since September. At press time, we had matched $1,410 in reader donations and our readers had donated $1,910 (for a total of $3,320). We will continue to match donations up to a total Metro Parent match of $2,500 (for a total reader/Metro Parent donation of $5,000). To donate to Mercy Corps, visit our donation page . Here’s the 411 on how to enter: (1) Donate a minimum of $25 to one of the campaigns above. (2) Send an email to marie@metro-parent.com letting us know you donated. Be sure to include your address so we can mail you your gift card! The first five readers to donate and email Marie (our editor-in-chief) will receive a $20 gift card to John’s Incredible Pizza. You’ll be making the world a better place and having a fabulous time with your family! What could be better?

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Donate & Receive a $20 John’s Incredible Pizza Gift Card!

Nov201128

Samantha

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Portland Composts!

I’m so glad the City of Portland rolled out their Portland Composts curbside composting program citywide beginning Oct. 31. I’ve felt guilty about throwing away food scraps for years, but with one small compost bin in the backyard I’ve never been able to get into a composting groove. Now the city is helping me out, and I’m loving it! Of course, it does take some getting used to. How’s it going for you? One thing I’ve realized is how lazy I had become, even with basic recycling. There were times (more frequent than I care to admit!) when I would toss used toilet paper rolls, empty shampoo bottles and other recyclables into the trash. No more. We can’t spare the space! And I love being able to recycle (i.e., compost) pizza delivery boxes! One of the biggest challenges for me, so far, is cleaning out the fridge. I have to remember to do it the day I put the trash out because, without the security of wrapping spoiled food in a plastic bag (Yes, I do waste food! I’m trying to stop doing it!), I don’t want it sitting out of the fridge for too long. But on the up side, it has been making me clean out the fridge more regularly! We weren’t home for Thanksgiving, but I imagine it wasn’t much of a problem since most of the trash generated would be food waste, which is still picked up weekly. It’s the winter holidays with their mountains of gift wrap that likely will cause most people concern. All the more reason to go greener this year, minimizing disposable wrapping and recycling everything we can. If you live in Portland, how are you liking (or not liking) the new program? What tips can you offer to those who might still be struggling with too much trash?

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Portland Composts!

Nov201123

Jeremy

0

Skipping Black Friday & Cyber Monday

For many families, the day after Thanksgiving — Black Friday — signifies the beginning of the consumerist frenzy that often overtakes the holiday season. Recently, many shoppers have added Cyber Monday to the mix, going online to purchase scads of holiday gifts on the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, we’d like to offer two alternatives: Little Boxes & Small Business Saturday: We’re not saying you shouldn’t buy gifts for the holidays or that you shouldn’t get a jump start on your shopping this weekend. But why not support our local community and our local economy by doing your shopping at locally owned businesses? That’s what Little Boxes – a Portland-area alternative to Black Friday – and Small Business Saturday – the Saturday after Thanksgiving – are all about. Last year, Tony Fuentes of Milagros Boutique wrote a wonderful online article explaining the importance of keeping our dollars as close to home as possible. We hope you’ll take a moment to read Tony’s article again this year , before you start your holiday shopping. And as added incentive to shop locally this weekend, Supportland , Portland’s own local business rewards program, is offering triple points this Friday and Saturday (Black Friday and Small Business Saturday)! For more information about Little Boxes, including a list of participating local retailers, incentives and prizes, visit littleboxespdx.com . For more info on Small Business Saturday, visit smallbusinesssaturday.com. National Day of Listening: Of course, there’s more to life than shopping. How about spending some time on the day after Thanksgiving to thank a teacher who had a positive impact on your life? That’s the theme for this year’s StoryCorps National Day of Listening, which began in 2008 as an alternative to “Black Friday.” In previous years, StoryCorps has encouraged people to interview loved ones and record their personal histories on National Day of Listening. This year, they’re asking us to take some time to honor a favorite teacher. As explained on the National Day of Listening website: “Whether posting a memory to Facebook (StoryCorps), thanking them on Twitter (@storycorps, #thankateacher), taping a tribute on YouTube or sending a ‘thank you’ card, the 2011 National Day of Listening will send a powerful and necessary message to teachers across the nation: they matter, and we as a nation are grateful for the impact they have on our lives.” The organization has also provided tools on their site to “help you record a face-to-face interview with a teacher – or anyone else you’d like to honor for the National Day of Listening,” and they encourage you to spread the love further by recording interviews in veterans’ hospitals, senior centers, homeless shelters and other community gathering places. For more information, visit nationaldayoflistening.org . Happy Thanksgiving!

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Skipping Black Friday & Cyber Monday

Nov201107

Jeremy

0

Our Holiday Giving Campaigns

You’ve probably heard the expression, “Think globally. Act locally.” We think that’s a wonderful way of approaching life, but this holiday season, we’d like to take it to the next level by saying, “Think globally AND locally, then act on both fronts as well!” That’s why our 2011 Holiday Giving Campaign has two components -– one focused on local families in need, the other on starving families living on the Horn of Africa. Here’s the scoop: JOIN “Home for the Holidays”: Since 2008, Metro Parent and our readers have been partnering with JOIN , a local nonprofit that helps homeless people move into permanent housing, to help families down on their luck transition into stable environments – and keep them there. The cost to get a homeless family into permanent housing through JOIN is $2,500. During November and December, Metro Parent will match our readers’ donations up to a combined reader contribution of $1,250, bringing the total to $2,500. Mercy Corps/Metro Parent Match Campaign: The famine in the Horn of Africa has taken the lives of thousands -– but the suffering is far from over. The United Nations predicts that 750,000 people could starve to death over the next few months in Somalia alone. Metro Parent has been matching our readers’ donations to Mercy Corps since September. At press time, we had matched $1,410 in reader donations (for a total of $2,820). We will continue to match donations up to a total Metro Parent match of $2,500 (for a total reader/ Metro Parent donation of $5,000). To contribute to our “Home for the Holidays” effort, visit JOIN’s website and click on the Metro Parent logo on the home page , then choose “Metro Parent Magazine Home for the Holidays” from the donation category drop-down menu. To donate to Mercy Corps, visit our donation page . And be sure to pick up a copy of our sister publication, Portland Woman , to read a gripping report on The Women of Mogadishu by Mercy Corps aid worker Cassandra Nelson. Together we CAN make a difference!

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Our Holiday Giving Campaigns

Oct201124

Samantha

0

Our Online Parents’ Calendar

We’re constantly amazed at the vast array of activities and resources for families in the Portland metro area, and we’re proud to provide our readers with information they can use to take advantage of all the area has to offer. From our Family Calendar and Family Fun Reviews to information about local parenting resources, we do our best to keep you up to date on local activities and events of interest. We’re especially proud of our online Parents Calendar , listing workshops, conferences, fundraisers and events of interest to local parents. What makes this resource particularly appealing -– we think –- is the fact that our readers can submit their own parenting-related events and fundraisers (school auction anyone?) to be included in our online listings. Our November Parents’ Calendar will go up Nov. 1, with a number of intriguing classes and events. You’ll find listings for a “Child Senses & Behavior” workshop at IKEA on Nov. 30, with tips on helping your child regulate sensory input during the holidays and new tools for sensory-based activities; a “Connect by Coaching Your Kid Weekend Workshop” with Dr. Kathy Masarie Nov. 4 and 5; workshops for parents of children with special needs, including “Entering Kindergarten from ECSE: What Parents Need to Know” on Nov. 16 and “IFSP, EI, ECSE, What Does It Mean? Infants and Preschoolers with Developmental Delays or Disabilities” on Nov. 29. You’ll also find listings for the Healthy Living & Gluten Free Expo in Salem Nov. 26; a National Adoption Day Celebration Nov. 19 and an Adoption Fair Nov. 6; Milagros Boutique’s annual Holiday Bazaar , a fundraiser for Mercy Corps, also on Nov. 6; and Thinker Toys’ Shop for Schools holiday fundraising event Nov. 14-16. Plus, every month we include listings for recurring classes and groups , from pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding and other parenting support groups for moms and dads to grief and cancer support groups for kids to cloth diapering and diaper-free workshops and groups and much, much more. Do you have an event to submit to our online Parents Calendar? Fill out our online form (you can also access the form by clicking “Submit an Event” on the Parents’ Calendar page), or email the information to calendar@metro-parent.com . And for even more parent education, support group and other parenting resources, check out our Parent Support and Education listings.

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Our Online Parents’ Calendar

Feb201102

Samantha

0

February = Holiday Fun!

Thought the holidays were over? Think again! This month brings us two spectacular reasons to celebrate: the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit and Valentine’s Day . How to celebrate? Check out this roundup of holiday fun to entertain and educate your family: THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT: Lan Su New Year. Celebrate the new year at the Lan Su Chinese Garden with two weeks of dancing, story telling, crafts, demonstrations and more. Feb. 3 through 17; see website for complete schedule. Check out the lion dances at 3 or 4 pm on Feb. 3, or at 1, 2 or 3 pm on Feb. 5, 6, 12 or 13. Most activities are free with garden admission of $8.50 adults; $6.50 students; free 5 and under. 239 NW Everett St. 503-228-8131. lansugarden.org . Library Lunar New Year Party, Option 1. Celebrate with dance, music, games, food and crafts. Feb. 8, 5 to 7 pm. FREE. Midland Library, 805 SE 122d Ave. 503-988-5392. events.multcolib.org . Library Lunar New Year Party, Option 2. Lion dancers, crafts, treats and more. Feb. 8, 6 to 7:30 pm. FREE. Woodstock Library, 6008 SE 49th Ave. 503-988-5399. events.multcolib.org . Lakeshore Learning Crafts: Make a Chinese New Year Drum. Drop-in any time between 11 am and 3 pm on Feb. 5. Ages 3 and older. FREE. Lakeshore Learning Store, 16901 SW 65th Ave., Lake Oswego. 503-620-9888. lakeshorelearning.com . Chinese New Year Celebration at A.C. Gilbert Discovery Village. Take a day trip to Salem for crafts, foods and activities from China. Feb. 5, 1 to 4 pm. FREE w/admission $6 ages 3-59, free ages 0-2. AC Gilbert’s Discovery Village, 116 Marion St. NE, Salem. 503-371-3631. acgilbert.org . VALENTINE’S DAY: Ladybug Theater: Baby Bear’s Valentine . Take the little ones out for live theater at 10:30 am on Feb. 2, 3, 9 and 10. Ages 2 1/2 and older with good theater manners. $3.50; babes in arms free. Reservations please. Smile Station. 8210 SE 13th. 503-232-2346. ladybugtheater.org . Lakeshore Learning Crafts: Make a Valentine’s Day Bouquet. Drop-in any time between 11 am and 3 pm on Feb. 12. Ages 3 and older. FREE. Lakeshore Learning Store, 16901 SW 65th Ave., Lake Oswego. 503-620-9888. lakeshorelearning.com . Valentine Tea. Dress up, make treats and have tea. Ages 2 to 6, with caregiver. Feb. 5, 10:30 to 11:15 am. $12/pair. Southwest Community Center, 6820 SW 45th Ave. 503-823-2840. southwestcommunitycenter.wordpress.com . Crafts at Lake Oswego Library. Create a Valentine heart animal. Ages 3 to 5. Feb. 8 and 9, 11 am. FREE, registration required. 706 4th St. 503-697-6580. ci.oswego.or.us . Valentine Fun. Create heart cards and crafts. Feb. 10, 3 to 4:45 pm at Belmont Library, 1038 SE 39th Ave.; 503-988-5382. Feb. 11, 3:30 to 5:30 pm at Troutdale Library, 2451 SW Cherry Park Rd. 503-988-5355. Feb. 12, 2 to 4 pm at Central Library, 801 SW 10th Ave. 503-988-5123. events.multcolib.org . Heart Creations. Make valentines for the ones you love. Ages 5 to 10. Feb. 12, 2:30 to 3:30 pm. FREE. Hillsboro Main Library, 2850 Brookwood Pkwy. 503-615-6500. evanced.info . Valentine’s Day Tea Party. Enjoy a morning of play, felting, a puppet show, refreshments and more. Ages 2 to 6 with a parent. Feb. 12, 10 to 11:30 am. FREE. Portland Waldorf School, 2300 SE Harrison St., Milwaukie. 503-654-2200 xt 207. portlandwaldorfschool.org . FREE Family Day. Explore the Washington County Museum for free with Valentine crafts, activities and more. Feb. 12, 10 am to 2 pm.17677 NW Springville Rd. (PCC Rock Creek Campus). 503-645-5353. washingtoncountymuseum.org . Easy Homemade Valentines. Teen help kids make Valentines. Feb. 13, 2:30 to 4 pm. FREE. Holgate Library, 7905 SE Holgate Blvd. 503-988-5389. events.multcolib.org . Valentine’s Day Animal Enrichment. Watch the animals get holiday treats. Feb. 14, 11 am: lorikeets; 12:30 pm: lions; 2 pm: sea otters. Bring your camera. Free with zoo admission. Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Road. 503-226-1561. oregonzoo.org . Lovey Babies. Make a valentine and dance your heart out. Ages 6 and under, with caregiver. Feb. 14, 10:30 to 11:30 am. FREE. Beaverton City Library, 12375 SW 5th St. 503-350-3600. beavertonlibrary.org . Mommy & Me Valentine Tea. Enjoy a tea party and a craft activity. Feb. 14, 11 am to 1 pm. $5 per family, discount for members, pre-registration please. AC Gilbert’s Discovery Village, 116 Marion St. NE, Salem. 503-371-3631. acgilbert.org . Happy February!

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February = Holiday Fun!

Dec201027

PDXrover

0

Do You Make New Year’s Resolutions?

Another year is fast approaching and many of us have earnestly created New Year’s Resolutions lists. My family does this, too, but first we take a look back at our lists from the year that’s ending to see how well we did. Here’s the tally from 2010: Me: Learn how to make gravy. (Yes!) Save at least $XXX during the year. (Yes!) Not get fired. (Yes! – so far) Swim in the ocean. (Sadly, no, but this one is always on my list so I’m hoping for better luck in 2011.) Son: Learn to swim better. (Yes!) Play soccer. (Yes!) Get better at cooking. (Yes!) Play in the snow. (Yes!) Have a birthday pool party. (Yes!) Husband: (Re)start jazz piano lessons. (Yes!) Post a CD on CD Baby. (Yes!) All: Win the lottery. (No, but this is another item that’s always on our list.) Eat fondue. (Yes!) Go to the beach. (Yes!) Eat dim sum. (Yes!) Take a fun vacation. (Yes and yes!) Eat sushi. (Yes!) Have a good 2010. (Yes!) As you can see, many of our “resolutions” are more about things we hope to do rather than goals we hope to accomplish (and there’s always a lot of food involved!), but it’s fun to look back and see how many of them came to fruition. What resolutions are you proud to have accomplished this year? What’s on your list for 2011? What kind of resolutions, if any, do your kids make? Whatever you’re hoping for in the new year, we hope your dreams come true! Here’s to a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011.

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Do You Make New Year’s Resolutions?

Dec201022

Jeremy

0

The Holiday Card Dilemma

The holiday cards have been slow to arrive this year, leaving me to wonder if everyone is as late as I am getting them out, or if some people are foregoing the tradition this year, whether to save money, time or paper — or simply to reduce their holiday stress. (Either way, I’m all for it!) My dilemma each year is what, if anything, to write on each card. We don’t produce a family newsletter (not enough interesting news to share!), and while we do include a photo on the card, it feels wrong just to stick one in each envelope without adding any personal touches. The problem is, when I think of writing a personal note on each card, I get overwhelmed and start procrastinating. This year we solved the problem by splitting the list — my husband wrote a brief one- or two-line note to each of his friends and relatives and I wrote a little ditty to each of mine. I printed mailing labels (with festive snowmen and snowflakes to make it seem slightly less automated) and my son helped me seal and stamp the envelopes. All in all it took a few hours over a few days and was really nothing to fret over. (I realized this only after a few weeks of fretting, of course!) How do you handle holiday cards in your house? Do you enjoy sending and receiving them? Do you think they’re a meaningful way to stay connected to friends and family, even if it’s only once a year? Do you include a pre-written letter with news of the year, write a brief note on each, have everyone in the family sign their names, or just put them in the envelopes and call it a day? Please share your thoughts and experiences. I’m hoping to have a clearer plan for next year so I can bypass the weeks of fretting and get right down to it — or give it up altogether. I still haven’t decided. Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

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The Holiday Card Dilemma

Dec201021

Samantha

0

Oregon AG: Avoid holiday scams

Oregon's Attorney general wants to help you avoid scams during the holidays.

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Oregon AG: Avoid holiday scams

Dec201020

PDXrover

0

What’s Your Favorite Holiday Tradition?

A few years back, we published an article exploring local families’ favorite winter holiday traditions. What we found was a wealth of diverse customs that make the holidays special for families year after year. Not surprisingly, many of those traditions revolved around food. One father, a native of France and the owner of a local French bakery, bakes an iconic Buche de Noel with his sons each year, while his wife, a Portland native, prepares traditional American sweets including cookies, peanut brittle, chocolates and, of course, a gingerbread house. Another local dad, originally from the Philippines, prepares the morcon – a traditional Spanish dish of flank steak rolled around a mixture of sausages, pickles, hard-boiled eggs, carrots, olives, cheese, and bacon, then swathed in tomato sauce — that he remembers from his childhood. A southeast Portland mom follows her mother-in-law’s recipe to prepare mountains of Swedish meatballs and lefsa , which she described as “like a Swedish potato tortilla.” The work is made easier and more festive each year as her daughters join in to help. Crafty traditions also are popular with local families, from making menorahs and dreidls for Hanukah to creating and decorating lanterns for Christmas or the Indian holiday of Diwali. Charitable giving and community service also are important traditions for many area families. (See “Raising Kids to ‘Be the Change’” in our December issue for more on that!). We also were intrigued to learn that many area families celebrate some lesser known — or at least lesser observed — winter holidays. One family celebrates the Winter Solstice as their ancestors would have, by turning off all things electric (except the fridge). Each year on that long, dark night, there are no lights, no television, no dishwasher, and meals are cooked outside on a camping stove. Another family described their month-long observance of Advent, which centers around a wreath holding four candles, each signifying one weekly theme: hope, peace, love and joy. And one family observes Yule, an ancient celebration of light’s victory over darkness that begins on the Winter Solstice and lasts for twelve days. On the final night, called “Twelfth Night,” oaths are sworn, similar to modern New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps most inspiring is an Indian-American family who — inspired by their daughter’s fascination with other cultures — explore a different holiday each year, researching the customs and rituals of a “new” holiday and celebrating it together. In addition to Christmas and their own traditional Hindu holidays, they’ve celebrated Hanukah, Kwanzaa, and the Swedish holiday of Santa Lucia’s Day, among others. What are your family’s favorite seasonal traditions? What’s the history behind those traditions? Have your kids inspired you to start some new family traditions of your own?

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What’s Your Favorite Holiday Tradition?

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