On Saturday, January 21, 2012, Dragon Calling!, a Lunar New Year Family Day, will run from 10 AM to 2:30 PM at the New Haven Museum. Children will be able to make paper lanterns, dragon decorations, and more. The Yale Children’s Theater will also be performing stories about Lunar New Year and more. Traditional Lunar New Year snacks and refreshments will be served. All activities are designed for children (ages 4 up) and their families to spend the day at the New Haven Museum. The program admission is $5 per child, free for adults and museum members. Pre-registration is suggested, but not necessary.

The New Haven Museum is located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue. For more information, contact Michelle Cheng, Director of Education at (203) 562-4183 ext. 11 or education@newhavenmuseum.org.

Happy December!

With the holidays fast approaching as well as the official start to winter it is suiting to make this month’s craft a cute, do-it-yourself snowman! This craft is great for children young and old. It can be as easy or as complicated as you’d like it to be. I love that each snowman can be tailored to any personality and age.

What you’ll need:

• White paper
• Colored paper
• Glue
• Markers
• Toilet paper roll
• Paint brush
• Scissors

Alternative supplies:

• Crayons
• Glitter
• Felt
• Sequence

First, start with the toilet paper roll. Measure the white paper around it and line up the edges to wrap around. You may need to cut the paper to fit properly around the roll.

TIP: Glue one edge of the paper to the roll first and wrap it around to make for easy and accurate measuring and cutting.

Next, glue the white paper around the toilet paper roll. Take the colored paper of choice and cut 6inch by 1inch strips. Use one strip as the snowman’s scarf and one as the snowman’s hat. Cut fringe into the end of the scarf for a fun effect!

TIP: Don’t worry about the exact measurements of the scarf and hat. Bigger or smaller looks just as great! You and your child may not want the fringe; you can also scallop the edges or leave it as a straight edge.

Continue to glue the scarf and hat on the covered toilet paper roll and wrap around the entire roll. The hat strip should be wrapped towards the top and the scarf strip should be wrapped in the middle of the roll.

Once everything is glued on, it is time to add the decorative details! Add eyes, a happy smile and buttons to the front of your snowman. In this example I did a traditional snowman with a carrot nose, coal eyes and black buttons. Feel free to add stickers, sequences, felt or any other additions to make your snowman extra special!

Use this craft as a decoration in your home or even as a pencil holder!

**Pencil holder alternative: Cut a circle out of cardboard and seal the bottom of the toilet paper roll. Add two marbles to the bottom of the roll. This will anchor the roll to hold pencils for easy, everyday use!

…

Christina works at the Painted Pomegranate and also runs her own blog, CT Green Gal. Visit her sites for fun DIY home décor crafts, eco-friendly ideas and everyday need-to- know information for kids and adults!

Submitted by a UCNS Parent

Submitted by Christina 

The Painted Pomegranate will be open from 10am-2pm for children to play while you shop!  Cinderella will also have a Face Painting booth at the Fair, who knew she was so multi-talented?!

Wash your Hands  Yes, mom was right… Hand washing is the most effective way to reduce transmission of viruses and bacteria. I have my children wash their hands as soon we walk in the door, before meals, after bathroom (of course!), and after coughing or sneezing.   Research is clear that antibacterial soaps are no more effective than plain soap and water at preventing infectious illness and there is a real concern about antibacterial soap contributing to bacterial resistance. Avoid Triclosan and other antibacterial ingredients in soaps that can promote “super bugs.” Let’s save antibiotics for when we really need them, not for every time we wash our hands.   If soap and water are not available, use of hand sanitizer is certainly better than not washing at all.

• Vitamin D

The majority of our Vitamin D is made by exposure of our skin to the sun.  It is difficult to maintain adequate levels at this latitude this time of year.  Vitamin D is found in small amounts in dietary sources, such as fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. Vitamin D is essential for the formation, growth, and repair of bones and for normal calcium absorption.  Vitamin D also has some important roles in immune function.  There is evidence that adequate vitamin D stores can prevent viral illnesses, such as colds and flus. Oral dosing of vitamin D3 is generally safe at 2,000 iu/day for the winter months.  A simple blood test, 25-hydroxy Vitamin D, can determine if you are deficient and help guide appropriate dosing.

• Elderberry

The flowers and berries of Sambucus nigra (Elderberry) contain flavonoids called anthocyanins.  These plant chemicals have anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that protect cells from free radical damage and support your body’s immune system. Elderberry juice can be used to treat flu-like symptoms, such as fever, fatigue, headache, sore throat, cough, and aches, and shorten the duration of colds and flu.  I recommend taking elderberry syrup daily during winter months to prevent and reduce symptoms of viral illness.  Preparations should be made from cooked berries/flowers, not raw, to avoid a plant chemical that is potentially toxic.

• Sleep

Sleep is my drug of choice.  Research shows that people that get adequate sleep, 7-8 hours a night, have better immunity and a lower risk of health problems than those that get less than 6 hours a night.  Sleep deprivation has detrimental effects on our mood and energy, and makes us more prone to weight gain.  Poor sleep can also increase your susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections.  If you have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, there are many natural options to ensure a restful and restorative night.  Aim for 8 hours a night.

• Stress less!

There are a number of botanical medicines called adaptogens that help with stress modulation and immunity.  Some of my favorites include Eleuthrococcus senticosis (Siberian Ginseng), Rhodiola rosea (Arctic Rose), and Withania somnifera (Ashwaganda).   Consider consulting with a naturopathic physician or herbalist to ensure safe use.  There are also many lifestyle choices that affect our stress levels.  Many of our stresses are from within.  This is especially important around the holidays.   We all need some down- time to recharge our batteries.  Give yourself permission to care for yourself.  Decide what is important to you or your family about the holidays and prioritize the traditions that are most meaningful to you.   You can decide not to go to every holiday party, have everyone pitch in and bring a dish to make hosting easier, or choose to give to a charity instead of the stress of shopping for the perfect gifts.  If you don’t take your time, someone else will.

Here’s to a happy and healthy winter! 

…

Amanda M. Levitt, ND  has been practicing as a board certified naturopathic physician for over 10 years, applying her expertise in nutrition, herbal medicine, and other natural therapies to treat digestive problems, women’s health issues, pediatric conditions, and a wide range of general health concerns. Dr. Levitt is an owner and practicing physician at Whole Health Natural Family Medicine in Hamden, CT.  Dr. Levitt has three beautiful children and a wonderfully supportive husband.

Big Brands, Small Treasures

From boutique baubles to must-have fashion, Downtown New Haven offers world class shopping close to home at Apple, J. Crew, Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters, Jack Wills, GANT and over 50 shops that offer fabulous brands like North Face, Coach, Longchamp, Waterford, Nike , Seven for All Mankind, Uggs and more!

Fabulous holiday entertainment and free parking on Thursday and Friday evenings and all day Saturday and Sunday round out the experience to make holiday shopping in Downtown New Haven unique, easy and fun.

UNIQUE

Visit the Broadway retail district for late night store hours until 9 pm and world class shopping including Apple, J. Crew, Barnes & Noble, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, Jack Wills, and the GANT Campus Store.

Stroll over to the historic streets of Chapel to find one of a kind boutiques including Wave Gallery, idiom, Lisa Jones, Celtica and derek simpson…goldsmith, which offer late night hours every Thursday till 8 pm.

Looking for family fun? Visit the Audubon/Whitney district for family-friendly dining options including Moe’s Southwest Grill, Gourmet Heaven, Clarks and Katalina’s Bakery.

The Audubon, Broadway, and Chapel merchants invite you to value the holidays in Downtown New Haven this holiday season with special events and promotions.

EASY

Free Parking

Ample parking is always available in Downtown New Haven and this holiday season it is free with a receipt from a downtown store. Park in the convenient Chapel York Garage (150 York Street) or the Broadway Center Lot every Thursday and Friday evening from 5 pm to 9 pm and any time on Saturdays and Sundays.

FUN

$1,000 Thursdays

Visit downtown New Haven on Thursday nights in December for your chance to win a $1,000 New Haven shopping spree! No purchase necessary. Pick up your $1,000 shopping card at a participating stores between 5 pm and 8 pm. Travel to 10 shops and boutiques in the Audubon, Broadway and Chapel Districts to receive a special stamp. After completion return your card to Info New Haven at 1000 Chapel Street. One winner will be chosen each week for 4 weeks!

Free Pictures with Santa

Bring the children for FREE pictures with Santa at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore at Yale located in the Broadway District next to the new Apple store, from 5-8pm on Fridays and 2 -5 pm Saturday and Sundays. Guests will receive both a print and digital photograph as a holiday keepsake.

Gift with Purchase Program

Do your holiday shopping and dining in Downtown New Haven and save your receipts. Bring the receipts to INFONew Haven, 1000 Chapel Street between November 25, 2011 and January 15, 2012 and receive a voucher for a free beverage at participating restaurants or a pass to the Criterion Cinemas or BOTH. The more you spend Downtown, the more rewards you get.  It’s our way of saying thanks for supporting Downtown New Haven business. Some restrictions apply. Visit www.infonewhaven.com/giftwithpurchase or call INFO New Haven at 203-773-9494 for complete rules and a list of participating restaurants.

Taste of New Haven Holiday Food and Shopping Tour – December 17^th

Join Taste of New Haven on a pre Holidays food, drinks, shopping, culture and history tour of Downtown New Haven. While we stroll through shops offering tour members discounts and raffle prizes we will mix it up with tastes of the area’s best culinary delights.

The midday tour takes us along Chapel Street. Our food and drink stops include Sushi on Chapel for a trip to Japan, Oaxaca Kitchen Bar & Restaurant to spice up our Mexican appetite, Pacifico for some Nuevo Latino concoctions and Bangkok Garden Restaurant for Thai food.

The evening tour takes us to Downtown’s Broadway shopping district. Our food and drink stops include Blue State Coffee for a jump start, Box 63 where we’ll fire it up with various flavors at this firehouse-themed restaurant, Thali Too for a taste of India, Yorkside Pizza for a real Yalie snack and finish it all off with some homemade Ashley’s Ice Cream.

Visit www.TasteofNewHaven.com for more information.

Live Entertainment

Enjoy the sounds of live performances from local school musical ensembles every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the Chapel and Broadway retail districts.

For more information on free parking, holiday events, stores and shopping hours please visit www.NewHavenShops.com.

Update, 10/30: Due to the weather, this event has been cancelled altogether :(

Update, 10/29: Due to the weather predictions for Saturday, the Saturday evening parade of costumes and movie double feature in East Rock has been moved to SUNDAY.

Parade of costumes for kids AND pets.  Meet at Romeo and Cesar’s at 5:30.  There will be goodie bags for kids and goodie bags for the pooches, too! There’s a rumor that there are also best costume prizes…..

A double feature will follow the parade to College Woods Park:

6 pm It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown

6:30pm Monsters, Inc.