Tell me when it's decorative gourd season, motherfuckers!
December 21, 2018 8:41 AM Subscribe
Help me build a recurring seasonal calendar of reminders.
Despite living in the US for than ten years now, and in the Northeast for all of that time, I still find myself caught unawares by seasonal milestones. I've started setting recurring reminders on my phone for various seasonal events to help me plan for them better and enjoy them more. I would like to crowd-source more such reminders for 2019 and forward. I live in the Greater Boston Area, so Boston-specific things to remember are welcome as well.
Note: I know that many of these are strictly not necessary. No one says I have to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. It just adds to my enjoyment of the year.
Examples:
Start thinking about Halloween costumes at the end of August
Lilac Sunday is every May on Mother's Day in the Arnold Arboretum
Think about something green to wear on St. Patrick's Day at the beginning of March
Remember to wish people for Passover at the end of March
Start looking for ramps in April
If you want lamb for Easter, start thinking about it a week into April
Diwali is around the same time as Halloween, so if you want to throw a party think about it at the same time as Halloween costumes
If you need an ugly holiday sweater buy one in January for the following year
Despite living in the US for than ten years now, and in the Northeast for all of that time, I still find myself caught unawares by seasonal milestones. I've started setting recurring reminders on my phone for various seasonal events to help me plan for them better and enjoy them more. I would like to crowd-source more such reminders for 2019 and forward. I live in the Greater Boston Area, so Boston-specific things to remember are welcome as well.
Note: I know that many of these are strictly not necessary. No one says I have to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. It just adds to my enjoyment of the year.
Examples:
Start thinking about Halloween costumes at the end of August
Lilac Sunday is every May on Mother's Day in the Arnold Arboretum
Think about something green to wear on St. Patrick's Day at the beginning of March
Remember to wish people for Passover at the end of March
Start looking for ramps in April
If you want lamb for Easter, start thinking about it a week into April
Diwali is around the same time as Halloween, so if you want to throw a party think about it at the same time as Halloween costumes
If you need an ugly holiday sweater buy one in January for the following year
Best answer: If you want lamb for Easter, start thinking about it a week into April
Easter can fall between March 22 and April 25, so you may need to adjust that.
posted by TORunner at 9:04 AM on December 21, 2018 [3 favorites]
Easter can fall between March 22 and April 25, so you may need to adjust that.
posted by TORunner at 9:04 AM on December 21, 2018 [3 favorites]
Buy decorations (I was going to say Christmas decorations, but this applies to all holidays) the day after the holiday.
posted by Weeping_angel at 9:07 AM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Weeping_angel at 9:07 AM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
Oh, and going along the same lines of “move-in day” at colleges, DO NOT attempt to go to an IKEA in late August/early September.
posted by Weeping_angel at 9:08 AM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Weeping_angel at 9:08 AM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Here's a calendar of in-season produce for Massachusetts. Don't miss apple-picking season!
And here is a page with the upcoming free days for the MFA (admission is now $25, so this is a lifesaver!)
Similar to the Red Sox, I once had to drive out of Cambridge after a Harvard-Yale game, and that was less than awesome. Apparently the games take place in Boston every November in even years.
Like Easter, Passover moves around every year. Considering how many religious traditions with moveable holidays are celebrated in your area, your best bet is to get a really good wall calendar.
posted by toastedcheese at 9:22 AM on December 21, 2018
And here is a page with the upcoming free days for the MFA (admission is now $25, so this is a lifesaver!)
Similar to the Red Sox, I once had to drive out of Cambridge after a Harvard-Yale game, and that was less than awesome. Apparently the games take place in Boston every November in even years.
Like Easter, Passover moves around every year. Considering how many religious traditions with moveable holidays are celebrated in your area, your best bet is to get a really good wall calendar.
posted by toastedcheese at 9:22 AM on December 21, 2018
Best answer: Mid-April through the first week of May is baby animal time at Hancock Shaker Village -visit lambs, piglets, calves, chicks, and kids.
Stock up on deeply discounted chocolates and candy right after Valentine's Day and Halloween.
Important Pick Your Own dates for MA:
strawberries: mid-June to mid-July
blueberries: mid-July to end of August
apples: August to November
Add PYO dates for other fruits & vegetables:
Mass Gov Pick Your Own
MA Harvest Calendar
posted by carrioncomfort at 10:27 AM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
Stock up on deeply discounted chocolates and candy right after Valentine's Day and Halloween.
Important Pick Your Own dates for MA:
strawberries: mid-June to mid-July
blueberries: mid-July to end of August
apples: August to November
Add PYO dates for other fruits & vegetables:
Mass Gov Pick Your Own
MA Harvest Calendar
posted by carrioncomfort at 10:27 AM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
Remember to wish people for Passover at the end of March
If you want lamb for Easter, start thinking about it a week into April
Easter can fall between March 22 and April 25, so you may need to adjust that.
Passover can also fall more or less in that same time frame.
posted by hydropsyche at 11:59 AM on December 21, 2018
If you want lamb for Easter, start thinking about it a week into April
Easter can fall between March 22 and April 25, so you may need to adjust that.
Passover can also fall more or less in that same time frame.
posted by hydropsyche at 11:59 AM on December 21, 2018
Best answer: You can laugh but Martha Stewart magazine has a monthly calendar with some great seasonal reminders in it for gardening, holidays, cleaning, and personal things, you could go to a library and scan through the different months.
posted by lafemma at 12:12 PM on December 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by lafemma at 12:12 PM on December 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
Allston Christmas! September 1! Drive nowhere! Scope out student neighborhoods for freebies!
Every Wednesday over the summer there are concerts on the Esplanade.
HONK! is in Davis in early October.
posted by ChuraChura at 12:22 PM on December 21, 2018 [3 favorites]
Every Wednesday over the summer there are concerts on the Esplanade.
HONK! is in Davis in early October.
posted by ChuraChura at 12:22 PM on December 21, 2018 [3 favorites]
Very Boston specific - Truck Day marks the day that the Red Sox equipment truck leaves for Spring Training. It changes year to year but it is generally late January-early February.
Like an early robin or a midwinter melt, for many in New England it is a seasonal sign that spring will come again. Wear something Sox-ish and say "Happy Truck Day!" to those you see who are also sporting their club colors.
posted by anastasiav at 1:32 PM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
Like an early robin or a midwinter melt, for many in New England it is a seasonal sign that spring will come again. Wear something Sox-ish and say "Happy Truck Day!" to those you see who are also sporting their club colors.
posted by anastasiav at 1:32 PM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Martha Stewart magazine has a monthly calendar with some great seasonal reminders in it
Yes, and here are a few of her checklists:
* Spring home maintenance (.pdf)
* Fall home maintenance (.pdf)
* Monthly cleaning (.pdf)
* Seasonal cleaning (.pdf)
* Prepare your home for summer (.pdf)
* Prepare your home for winter (.pdf)
For gardeners, I recommend the Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook; plug in your dates, and you will know in advance what you need to do each week.
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:28 PM on December 21, 2018 [5 favorites]
Yes, and here are a few of her checklists:
* Spring home maintenance (.pdf)
* Fall home maintenance (.pdf)
* Monthly cleaning (.pdf)
* Seasonal cleaning (.pdf)
* Prepare your home for summer (.pdf)
* Prepare your home for winter (.pdf)
For gardeners, I recommend the Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook; plug in your dates, and you will know in advance what you need to do each week.
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:28 PM on December 21, 2018 [5 favorites]
Best answer: Fresh in mind, here's a few -
If you send photo holiday cards get on the photos in early / mid Oct (come up with a plan or contact a photographer). Have the photos selected by Thanksgiving; do the design over Thanksgiving weekend; and request any address updates while the cards are being printed.
Start bugging your family for their gift wish lists in early Nov so you can have a shopping list together by Black Friday sales.
I find the weekend after Thx to be best for Xmas tree and decorating (if you celebrate Xmas)
If you want to book tickets to holiday choruses or plays, it's tricky. You could use this year to plan what you want to see next year, because the tickets go on sale in late Nov, but the newspapers don't do their "best Boston events of the holiday season" until like Dec 10, by which point it's pretty late to grab tickets.
Start making holiday plans early so you can buy holiday travel tickets in ... July maybe?
posted by salvia at 6:15 PM on December 21, 2018
If you send photo holiday cards get on the photos in early / mid Oct (come up with a plan or contact a photographer). Have the photos selected by Thanksgiving; do the design over Thanksgiving weekend; and request any address updates while the cards are being printed.
Start bugging your family for their gift wish lists in early Nov so you can have a shopping list together by Black Friday sales.
I find the weekend after Thx to be best for Xmas tree and decorating (if you celebrate Xmas)
If you want to book tickets to holiday choruses or plays, it's tricky. You could use this year to plan what you want to see next year, because the tickets go on sale in late Nov, but the newspapers don't do their "best Boston events of the holiday season" until like Dec 10, by which point it's pretty late to grab tickets.
Start making holiday plans early so you can buy holiday travel tickets in ... July maybe?
posted by salvia at 6:15 PM on December 21, 2018
I make my Christmas fruitcake right around Thanksgiving.
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:20 PM on December 23, 2018
posted by The corpse in the library at 5:20 PM on December 23, 2018
Make this aged eggnog around a month before Christmas. Make more than you think you need. Start drinking it about a week before Christmas.
posted by Weeping_angel at 6:36 PM on December 23, 2018
posted by Weeping_angel at 6:36 PM on December 23, 2018
Another thing I do that I just realized might be helpful to you is that at the moment I say “oh, next year we should....” I go on my google calendar and schedule it RIGHT THEN. Tonight I set reminders for a few things, some holiday related, and some just things my husband and I were discussing as “spring projects”. I really like getting reminders from past me all year long.
posted by anastasiav at 10:01 PM on December 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by anastasiav at 10:01 PM on December 23, 2018 [2 favorites]
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The third Monday in April is the Boston Marathon as well as a Red Sox afternoon home game. Don't plan on going anywhere on the other side of the race route for most of the day.
posted by bondcliff at 8:47 AM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]