One of my favorite tasks between Christmas and New Year’s is choosing a calendar. I wait until they’re 50% off, and then I choose whatever appeals most. This year it was Beatrix Potter. Last year, it was Patience Brewster. The year before that, Fun with Dick & Jane.
For this coming year, it’s a mistake: I bought what I thought was a vintage ads calendar, but what I failed to notice is that the ads are actually inspirational messages. I don’t like inspirational messages. Inspirational messages make me want to HIT the person who wrote them, then give him a screaming baby and a toilet brush and stand over him hitting him some more and demanding to know how he feels NOW about “cherishing every moment.”
I would be interested to know how you choose your calendar each year, and what you’ve got lined up for 2008. I seem to be back in the market.
I used to LOVE getting a fun calendar each year. But now with kids and no money, well, I get a free calendar from the funeral home in my parent’s town. They’ve been giving me a copy for several years now. It has a nature picture at the top…nothing fancy and really, I rarely look at it. It’s hanging high enough that I rarely see the picture, just see the squares where I write all the info. And did I mention it’s free? :-)
Oh, and I’ve started making family calendars for one side of the family so we have the boring nature one that I write stuff on, and the fun one with pictures and everyone’s birthday on it that hangs where we can see it easier.
Whoa- take a step back, put down the toilet brush and take a deep breath. Sounds like 2008 is off to a good start at your house.
I was given a Far Side calendar once it was hilarious … pokes fun at inspirational messages and the day to page one (tear off variety)another year was even better.
I hope your 2008 is blessed with health and prosperity and everything you want it to be!
I choose whatever free calendar came in the mail, or that someone gave me (thoughtfully) as an xmas gift. This year I snagged a “New Homes” calendar which shows me all sorts of drop-dead gorgeous houses that I’ll NEVER be able to afford. *cry*
I always get at least one for Christmas, and I really don’t care, because I don’t use them, because google has a nifty calendar that I can access from anywhere, and I can even put my husband’s “I’m going to be out of town on these dates!” calendars on it, and he can see my “important family birthdays so you don’t look like a tool!” calendar.
Mary Engelbreit each and every year…it has become a tradition. Warning! There may be somewhat inspirational quotes!
In our small town you can get a free calendar from the bank, or the pharmacy, or the hardware store. I always go pick out the prettiest one!
My mother buys each of us (including my 3 year old daughter) one every christmas. Except she forgot my husband this year, so I gave him my Far Side Calendar, and My main calendar, in the kitchen, is wait for it……
Disney Fucking Princesses.
I can’t decide if I want to punch the Inspirational Quotes author or Belle more.
I use the calander my hubby gets from his work for free, OH yeah baby, I get to look at sexy semi-haulers all year!
I used to really enjoy picking out my 1/2 off calendar every year. The last year that I did that, it was photos of fruit cut and shaped like dogs. Weird, but cute. Now that my husband and I both work for our school district, we use the one they send out. Then I don’t have to mark down my days off – they’re already on there. I think you should make one with digital photos of your kids – considerably more expensive, but oh so fun to make.
I usually get one with pictures that make me happy. But not the cheesy, inspirational waterfalls or mountain scenery and whatnot. Perhaps they are still cheesy, but I’d like to think they have a bit more character. 2006 was gardens I envy. 2007 was views from porches across the globe. This year I got flowers. Cool, Pottery Barnish flower arrangement-type pics. Except for September, which is a pic of odd orangey/brown puffballs, I feel I will be happy, albeit cloaked in assurance of my failure as a flower-arranger each time I gaze upon my calendar. Just as in years past I’ve been reminded that I know next to nothing about gardening and covet the porches I shall never have.
when i used to use a wall calendar…i always got a william wegman one because i have 2 weimaraners. (in case you aren’t familiar..the grey dogs dressed up in human clothes) now i use a day planner sort of thing and i,too, really enjoy “setting it up” for the new year. ie transferring birthdays, special dates, upcoming vacations, etc.
here’s a thought…why don’t you take advantage of an after Christmas sale and create one online using your kids pictures. i bet they would love it. i may create one of the new babe for a gift for grandparents..
LOL. My new calendar is vintage barbie ads, a Christmas gift from my little sister. I like it better than the vintage cars my hubby was going to hang in the office!
I haven’t had a wall calendar in ages! I don’t have a desk for one of those “X a Day” calendars although I could probably use one of those “word a day” jobs as my vocabulary is limited to a handful of four-letter words and monosyllabic grunts.
BUT!
I do have the disgruntled houswfie calendar that I LOVE that I’ve been devoted to for the past several years!
I steal them from work. They’re usually some printing company or toner company Really boring crap, but a free calendar nonetheless. Yay corporate America.
I used to buy ones of Hawaii or Greece.
Which ultimately depressed me. I’d rather look at toner, because at least I will use that in the next year.
I use the best free one that I get (usually the one from Kraft foods – yummy pics to look at all year). But since I didn’t get any free ones this year, I picked up a lighthouse one at Target in their $1 bin; turns out, it actually cost $0.25 on clearance. Score!
I give my husband a Chik-Fil-A calendar every year. Which just reminded me… I sort of forgot to retrieve it from under my bed and wrap it for him. He gets a fun New Year’s present this morning! Thanks, Swistle.
— SJ
I choose them based on the pretty pictures, and what kind of mood I’m in at the time. Usually I go with something along the lines of this this
Or this
Although this year I’m considering this one in honor of the WGA strike: this
Also, my grammar is quite fabulous this morning.[end sarcasm]
I blame lack of sleep and the dog who is currently whining in my ear. Funny, I don’t feel like playing with squeaky toys at 6:00 am.
I get a Cotswolds one from my mom every year because she lives in the Cotswolds, England, and I feel a little closer to ‘home’ when I see that. I always feel guilty though because she has to pay full price in order to bring it with her.
This year, we also made a photo calendar with photos of our 2007 baby!
We used to buy one from the golden retriever rescue foundation, which was always a favorite with stories of rescued dogs, but like the poor dog himself, that sort of got bumped down in favor of the baby. Oh, more guilt!
I make calendars using photos of the kids the year before. I wait till December for the best deals.
I do that too! Every year I look forward to finding a fun calendar after Xmas. There’s always something good left at 50% or more off! And then I like sitting down and transferring all the birthdays and big upcoming events, and flipping through last year’s calendar and seeing what all happened. Good times. :)
Being a total Terry Pratchett geek I’m getting this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/LU-TSES-YEARBOOK-ENLIGHTENMENT-2008-Gollancz/dp/0575077247/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199200596&sr=1-4
Lu Tze’s yearbook of enlightenment. Can’t wait! It’s already 40% off- maybe it will get knocked down further in the next week!
Last year, I used a Flylady calendar which was completely and totally about function. No art. And I loved it. And actually USED it. I pity the poor sucker who finds it in the trash and wonders why my Aunt Flo keeps visiting me so often. :D
This year, I have a hummingbird calendar from walfart. It was bought for me, but the pictures are cute. AND, I was surprised as it was a random pick, it has the muslim holidays on it.
If you detest the motivational ones, may I suggest the Demotivators? It always manages to give me the giggles.
Okay, I’m lame and can’t figure out how to link in a comment. Just go google “demotivators”, k?
Omaha Mama & Sara & Sarah & Vicky- I love the photo calendar idea. It would be fun to choose photos from that same month in 2007, so it would give a pleasurably melancholy “this time last year” feeling. Hmmmm. I think maybe I WILL do that!
Zdoodlebub- OMG, my friend Carin had that porch calendar last year!
Fairydogmother- You and I have very similar calendar tastes! I bought a Paris calendar one year, and a Play with Food calendar for William this past year.
Jennifer (Jan 1 10:16AM Jennifer, because there are so many Jennifers)- You and I are CALENDAR TWINS. The 50% off, the transferring of dates, the remembering things that happened on the old calendar. Calendar high-five!
I usually wait to see if I get one as a gift, and if not, I pick something cute or pretty from the 50% off sales. This year, though, Torsten picked out a gorgeous calendar with photos of the North Sea when we were in Germany.
But really I’m commenting because there is this article on CNN about baby name remorse. Have you seen it?
My kitchen is decorated in lighthouses, so each year I buy a lighthouse calendar for myself. As well as my Dilbert desk calendar for work (since I live it every day and all that). I also make me, my parents and my dad a “sophie” calendar.
I don’t like inspirational messages, either.
AND I HATE QUOTES.
Mostly.
I usually just try to get one that is a) cheap and b) not awful. A while back I picked up an Office calendar, but for Christmas I was given a cat calendar and my husband was given a William Wegman calendar, both of which are awesome. I also received a Stuff on my Cat daily calendar, which is pretty ridiculous/awesome. I had a cat a day calendar last year that I loved, and a few times a week I would make my husband look at it in glee. I guess I like animal calendars, is what I’m trying to say, and that surprises no one.
I don’t use a calendar, personally. Well, not a paper one, at least. I use the one on my Mac or my Palm.
I’m planning on making “Maddie calendars” for the grandparents for xmas next year, though. Grandparents love that sort of thing, don’t they?
Jess- Shelly Overlook emailed me that article, so I read it this morning. It’s great! I’m SO interested in the idea of changing a child’s name. I am most interested to hear if families and friends FLIP OUT over it.
I make a calendar of my kids from each of the year’s previous month’s (from Costco, but there are a ton of places you can do it). Then, in March, for example, I see a picture of us at last year’s butterfly exhibit and get all choked up because they were so little and now they’re SO BIG. Sniff.
Through the actual year, every time I take a picture that I think might make a good calendar picture, I move it to a special folder. It makes it a lot easier at the end of the year.
I use a Franklin planner for the most part but we always have/had one of those little rip off the page each day desk calendars. Last year my husband picked “The Far Side” because we found them hysterical. The year before it was “Bushisms: The wonderful language of W”
This year my dad bought me the offical count down the days till Bush is out of office, which is kind of a score because it goes all the way to January 20,2009.
I was just looking trhough all of my calendars back to 1986. I’m a calendar geek. I used to (in high school) use the free little purse ones that Hallmark gave out. It is really wild to read my er…ummm…agenda back when I was 16. My McDonald’s schedule totally sucked.
My sister gave me a calendar this Christmas that she made on zazzle.com with some drawings from Exploding Dog (apparently the artist doesn’t care if you use his images, so long as you don’t sell them). I thought that was pretty cool.
Yep — 50% off! This year I got a “Sock Monkey” one. It was tought to choose though, because there was an awesome Chinese propaganda one I really fancied.
I like Get Fuzzy daily calendars, and my husband got one this year that I’m coveting–it’s a faux-inspirational calendar with the characters from The Office.
Oh! I finally have something good to say!
I have five kids and I use this one and love love love it. I have been using it for the last four years.
http://www.amazon.com/Moms-Plan-Organizer-Calendar-2007-December/dp/1598688243/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199227723&sr=8-1
Swistle- we are definitely on the same calendar wavelength! I had a Play with Food calendar a couple of years ago when the theme was Dog Food. And I am powerless to resist a great Paris calendar (the Eiffel tower framed by the doorway is haunting me in a good way).
I’m afraid my choice may bore you to death. Prepare yourself!
After becoming hooked on the Fly Lady calendar, I discovered that I really DID need a calendar with larger boxes so I could write down all the family stuff going on. So then I went out and bought a desk blotter and hung it on the wall in the kitchen. This way, we have no excuse for missing appointments or birthdays since it’s all right there.
Of course, the difference between knowing your birthday is coming and actually mailing out a card is the pre-emptive guilt. I never mail cards out, even though I spend all of that time transferring birthday data from the old calendar to the new one.
A desk blotter is not pretty, but it works.
Last year I had an Italian vintage posters calendar. The previous year I had a sunflower pictures calendar. This year…I haven’t a clue. Something with bright colors and absolutely no inspirational messages. Those kind suck!
So funny – I thought of you with that changing your child’s name article, too, this morning. :)
I love these people for wall and desk calenders – this is my fourth or fifth year in a row with them. Love em.
http://linneadesign.com/
~ML
We do the picture calendars too. It IS fun to see the “this time last year” pictures.
I like Kinkos for creating them. You can do it all online and have it shipped/pick it up. Also, you can add your own birthdays/anniversaries and they show up on the calendar just like the REAL holidays.
OK, you already have like a billion comments…but I have to say that I do the picture calendars too. Seeing how little my kids were last year is so awesome and sad at the same time. I’ve used vistaprint and shutterfly and they are great.
Oh and if you want *free* calendars, my aunt sent each of my kids a calendar from some conservation organization. (Ok, my THREE year old? Just last month learned how to make smiley faces. Don’t think he needs a calendar.) So if you want them they’re yours!
This year I bought Vera Bradley’s 2008 agenda book. It’s so cute and girly and pretty, and it makes me happy every time I look at it. There are no pictures, and no inspirational messages, but it has really fun stickers that you can put all over it to commemorate birthdays, holidays, and the like. I’m a big fan!
On an irreverant and slightly gross note, Fleet puts out a calendar featuring their mascot, Eneman. It is seriously hysterical, and my mom gets one every year. This year they feature Eneman as the hero of a different blockbluster movie each month. Definitely worth a look.
We use the free calendar from church. Very unoriginal, but free and serves the purpose. It is really only for my girls to learn about the days and stuff. I use a planner.
ha, i do the same thing. i’m going to start looking for one today…
Hmm, how do I choose a calendar? Well, there’s the free one that comes in the newspaper…..then there’s the free one our insurance agent sends each year.
Not much of a choice, huh?
I like the scenic variety – Ireland, the Greek Isles, ect. I think they’re pretty and calming without the added annoyance of ‘cherish each day’ and whatnot. :) Plus, every year I tell myself I will save money and see those places in person, although…so far, not so much.
I bought a calendar back in September that was Sept 07 through 12/08 — I just really wanted a calendar RIGHT NOW that would cover that period of time. There were several to choose from at Staples and it wasn’t too pricey.
I bought EXTREMELY CUTE kitties. They disturb my husband greatly, but I love them. GUILTY as charged. At least there’s no damn inspirational messages!
My two favorites (both bought at least 50% off) were Natural Disasters and last years-Totally Tomatoes. I like ones that are a little strange in topic. That way if anyone sees them in my office at home, they will have a laugh! :)
I do make photo ones for each Grandma for Christmas though.
Inspirational messages, oh they are the worst. Completely annoying.
As far as calendars go, if I’m buying it then I go for the ones on sale and then usually I like the ones that a pretty pictures of far away places. It reminds me that we really need to plan a vacation. Other than that I’ll use whatever free one we get. Unless it’s inspirational messages.
Swistle —
I posted my thoughts on the Namer’s Remorse article, if you’re interested (which of course you ARE, because it’s about NAMES.)
Mairzy
just delurking. I get more excited for a new calendar than almost anything else. I’ve been subtely dropping hints with mine the last 2years…2007..IRELAND…2008 GREECE hint hint ahem..honey?
love your blog! :)
I used to get one of those daily ones to put on the back of the toilet, where you rip off the sheet for each day.
What? That is a totally appropriate place for a calendar, isn’t it?
Anyway, my favorite one was the Far Side and then The Man and I made a dreaded mistake and bought the STUPIDEST CALENDAR EVER (of jokes or something) and we had to go through 365 SHEETS OF THE STUPIDEST JOKES EVER and I kind of lost my love of that ritual. We were so glad to end the year because the jokes were THAT BAD. Ironically, we did have some fun making fun of the HORRIBLE JOKES THAT WERE VERY BAD.
This year, I made a calendar of the little baby (on shutterfly) it was expensive but, you know, I’m a new mom.
I’ve done the same thing for the past 4 years, waiting for the 50% off sale! I’ve done Care Bears, My Little Pony and Hello Kitty.
I’m a calendar junkie. I have a day planner (fresh from Target) for my purse, a wall calendar of Lake Tahoe (where I got married this past year) and I’m in the market for a shoe calendar for my office wall.