Celebrations of the Heart

Start living now. Stop saving the good china for that special occasion. Every day you are alive is a special occasion. Every minute, every breath, is a gift from God. ~Mary Manin Morrissey

The air was frigid, yet the ice hanging on the trees was beautiful – like a postcard. But the beauty seemed marred as quickly as heavy branches fell on the electric lines. After three days without electricity it was easy to be a bit of a grouch. Perhaps your water lines froze or the cold has kept you indoors. When will spring be here, you ask yourself? It’s time to plan a celebration – a celebration of the heart!
 Heart celebrations are shared celebrations. If you are a mother, they involve your children. If you are a young wife, the celebration can be shared with your husband. Heart celebrations my involve friends, neighbors or anyone you know who needs a burst of sunshine in the middle of winter's dreariness. They can be held in your home or transported to a friend's home, the fire department or the nursing care center.  How about you and your young children planning a heart celebration for an elderly neighbor? Or a mini celebration for the teenager who lives next door?


I know what you’re asking – What is a heart celebration? Actually, it is not an extremely contemporary idea. Heart celebrations were mentioned in Proverbs 15:15. “A cheerful heart fills the day with song.” or as I like to say, “A celebrated heart is filled with singing.”

We tend to give priority attention to celebrating big holidays. But there are reasons to celebrate every day – reasons that take such a little bit of planning and few ingredients or materials.

January: National Tea Month

Unroll a 12oz tube of biscuits and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Melt three tablespoons of butter. Dip the top of each biscuit in butter, then sugar. Press an indentation in the center of each biscuit and fill with peach jam. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Cut a crown for the little princess in your life. Give her some gems and glitter to decorate the crown.

National Soup Month

Fill mason jars with vegetable soup. Tie a bit of raffia around the lid and deliver a celebration to an elderly friend. I use beef roast for the base. How do you make your veggie soup?

Disney Clips

January 18: Winnie the Pooh Day

“Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. "Pooh?" he whispered.

"Yes, Piglet?"

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's hand. "I just wanted to be sure of you.” ~A.S. Milne 

This is a good day to let a friend know just how much they mean to you – that they can be sure of your love. A day to celebrate your friendship. Of course, any celebration of Pooh calls for honey. Mix up a batch of your favorite muffins. While they are baking, mix 2 tablespoons of honey with a softened stick of butter. Invite your neighbor over for a cuppa and a treat. Or deliver warm to your pastor’s family or your child’s teacher.

January 29: National Popcorn Day

Who doesn’t like popcorn? It’s a staple here for cozy nights at home.

Toss It Popcorn Snack 

Microwave popcorn bag
Pretzel sticks broken in two
Yogurt raisins
Craisins
Salted pecans

Sugared Popcorn

My great-papa always had a white dishpan filled with sugared popcorn when we visited. You can find his recipe on Color Someone's World.

The two recipes above can be bagged and shared. Share with the greeters at Walmart, the clerk at the Dollar Store, the teller at the bank, the garbage man, or your husband's coworkers. Who else can you think of to share a bit of popcorn celebration?

Cheesy Popcorn

4 bags microwave popcorn popped
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Place popcorn in two 13-in. x 9-in. pans. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle onion salt over popcorn. Top with cheese. Bake at 300 degrees for 7 minutes. 

Feathered Friends Celebration

It’s also fun to give our feathered friends a celebration. Using a needle and thread, push popcorn on thread to form a garland. Decorate a tree outside – the birds will love it.

January 23: National Pie Day

You won’t find the Kuhn household celebrating National Squirrel Appreciation Day (21st). Not after we had to pay for new car wires they chewed. But National Pie Day? That’s one I’d like to celebrate. Here’s a super-easy, super-delicious recipe.

Put the ingredients except chips and pecans in a large bowl and stir until completely mixed. Stir in chips and pecans. Pour in a 9” pie crust. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 35-45 minutes.

If you want to plan celebrations for other National Days, check out Brownielocks. She even has a link to show you how to register your own National Day. Whatever National Day you choose to celebrate, let it fill your heart with singing. It’s catching – those around you will enjoy singing hearts, too.