THE CHINESE CALENDAR is nearly 4,650 years old according to Chinese records, but it is still sought out today throughout China and many parts of eastern Asia and the world with Oriental heritage.

TO LAYMEN, LEAP year is nothing but a year in which February has an additional day. To men of science, leap year is something which involves mathematics, physics, and astronomy. But there is also a superstitious side to this occurrence.

VALENTINE'S DAY: IT is the time of year when people are in a rush for that loving feeling. Roses, chocolates, heart-shaped confections, and lingerie are among the hot commodities of the Love Month.

Imagine if you have no means of recording your birthday. Then you would never know your age. Imagine if there was no system of knowing the days, months, and years.

THERE IS AN old saying that goes, “Show me what you read and I’ll tell you who you are.”  The biggest bibliophiles, whose book collections are often libraries in their own right, not only understand this principle, but also know how to show off what they do read to the best advantage. A well-ordered personal library is both an organizational joy and one of the best personal statements one can make.

IT’S BEGINNING TO look a lot like . . . the end of Christmas. By mid-January, the lights have lost some of their sparkle, the shiny baubles have lost much of their glow, and the imitation evergreens have lost a lot of their wintry illusion. When this happens, you know that the time has come to start putting them back in storage. Remember to remove all the decorations and lights from your Christmas tree before disassembling it.

THE KITCHEN AND the dining area are two of the most visited areas during the holidays. And if you don’t always go by the clean-as-you-go mantra, then you probably would agree that it’s time to get on top of the situation. Like, right now. If you’ve started organizing your pantry, it’s time to keep those pesky pests away.

Stocking Up Your Kitchen

GIVE the gift of green this holiday season. Recycle, reuse, and repurpose while testing your crafting skills. Or better yet, let Artist Wendy Fernando-Regalado show you some recyclable Christmas décor and gift ideas to spread good cheer to all and Mother Earth.

AS CHRISTMAS season nears, people begin dusting off their old Christmas trees, Santa with his reindeer, belens, and parols. To most people’s dismay, depending on how Christmas décorations are stored, these accessories come out of storage looking limp and worse for the wear. Buying new ones means additional expenses and in this economically-challenged time, people would rather use their money for more important buys than some flimsy, frivolous things such as Christmas decor. Others prefer to make do by just rehashing old ones to get by the holidays, but sadly resulting in an unimaginative, shabby look.