Time to choose next year’s calendar! Or rather “calendars”: I like one in the kitchen and one next to my computer, and then one for each of the three kid bedrooms. Plus I already bought this for next year because I loved it so much this year:
(photo from Amazon.com)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art page-a-day makes me feel like I am getting a little bit of culture every day. Also, I learned I’m not very interested in art that is a statue or a vase or a piece of cloth. I like the paintings.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Extraordinary Chickens. Every year I consider this calendar. Every year I conclude that I am something less than a year’s worth of interested in chickens.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Charley Harper. This is a strong contender this year. I had a Charley Harper calendar a few years ago and really liked it.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Dancers Among Us. This is going to be like the chickens, I think: I want to look at the pages, but not all year.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Minecraft calendar. I didn’t see this until YESTERDAY, and I immediately ordered it while children screamed excitedly in my ears, but it is temporarily out of stock and I am pre-disappointed because this seems likely to be like the fold-your-own-robots calendar of a couple of years ago, where it was out of stock and Amazon kept making me confirm I still wanted it for MONTHS until they finally emailed that it was completely unavailable. [Follow-up: after ordering the temporarily-unavailable Minecraft calendar from Amazon, I noticed another seller had it for a lower price and with the shipping it came to the same price as the Amazon one with free shipping. So I ordered THAT one and cancelled my other order. The shipping is way longer, but should still make it in time for Christmas.] [Follow-up to the follow-up: now the second one I’m linking to has changed to one that is more expensive and has Prime, so I guess the message is to compare sellers.]
(photo from Amazon.com)
Lego calendar. This is the one Henry wanted until he saw the Minecraft one.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Farmer’s Market calendar. This is the frontrunner for the kitchen this year. I came very close to ordering it last year (it went out of stock while I dithered).
(photo from Amazon.com)
Darth Vadar and Son calendar. Papa Darth reminds Luke to use the fork, threatens him with a time-out, etc.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Cow yoga calendar. Cow yoga. Cow. Yoga.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Dr. Who calendar. I was going through the check-out process with this calendar when I realized I had a logistics problem. William is the child who is most into Dr. Who (he belongs to a Dr. Who fan club, even), so he’d be the one who should get this calendar as a gift—but he shares a room with Henry, who finds Dr. Who too scary/confusing and is one of the children who was screaming in my ear about the Minecraft calendar. Well, I think I’ll order the Dr. Who one anyway and William can put it up on the wall in his bunk.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Why Grizzly Bears Should Wear Underpants calendar. The Oatmeal has a calendar this year!
(photo from Amazon.com)
Hello Kitty calendar. After years of wanting a Hello Kitty calendar, last year Elizabeth chose one that was photos of cute animals. She’s outgrowing Hello Kitty, which is upsetting. I could still buy one for next to my desk, though.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Taylor Swift calendar. I would not be surprised if this were the calendar Elizabeth wanted this year.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Legend of Zelda calendar. This is a good candidate for Rob and Edward’s room, because they both like this game. So maybe this one for them, the Minecraft one in William and Henry’s room, and the Dr. Who calendar for William’s bunk.
(photo from Amazon.com)
The Tutu Project calendar. Who DOESN’T appreciate a man in a tutu?
(photo from Amazon.com)
This is London calendar. This was a finalist last year, and I think the main reason I didn’t get it is that I couldn’t decide if I wanted London, New York, Paris, or San Francisco. I’m not sure I can decide this year, either.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Hot Guys and Baby Animals calendar. I bought Paul’s sister the book version of this for Christmas.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Mid-Century Modern Ads calendar. Oooo, strong contender.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Little Critters calendar. I had this calendar the year before last, and liked it so much I’m tempted to repeat it. The pictures are so cheerful, and I see one of them is a FOX this year. It would be a great calendar for a nursery, too. I mean if YOU have a nursery. I don’t have a nursery.
(photo from Amazon.com)
The Golden Age of Travel calendar. This was a finalist last year and might be again this year.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Valentina calendar. Some of the pictures on this calendar, I love enough to frame. But some pages have words, and I can’t tolerate an entire month of “Follow your heart” or “Forever friends.”
(photo from Amazon.com)
Wallpapers calendar. I ordered the 2013 version of this calendar impulsively last year after a particularly frustratingly dithering session, and I regretted the purchase almost immediately. It would probably be too boring. And what if it was like those dollar-section calendars we got one year from Target, where all the pages curled up? But it has turned out to be one of my favorite calendars of all time: I put it near my desk, and I greatly enjoyed it all year. None of the pages were boring, and it’s on good-quality, non-curling paper. I might have to order it again this year.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Bubble calendar. This one is not a candidate for me (I want one with spaces to write on), but I love the idea. Every day you can pop a bubble-wrap bubble! I am a little concerned that I would lose control and pop them all at once.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Papertoy Monsters calendar. This comes with a frame that has a little shelf on it, right between the top half of the calendar and the bottom half. So then you fold the little paper monster and put it on the little shelf, and the top half of the calendar is the backdrop/scene for it.
(photo from Amazon.com)
Paper Source art calendar. I really love this one—but it’s twice the price of the others, and I don’t think I like it twice as much.
(photo from Amazon.com)
The Mathematics calendar. Paul and Rob are BOTH getting this calendar for Christmas. Last year the author didn’t do a calendar, and there was weeping and wailing throughout the land. If you have a mathy/problem-solving sort of person in your life, they might love this: each day has a math problem to solve, and the answer is the number of the day (that is, the answer to December 10th’s problem is 10). How to GET to that answer, though, has Paul’s co-workers gathering in his office each day, arguing around a whiteboard.
I am also very interested to hear what calendar YOU are choosing this year.
I make a Shutterfly calendar for my family each year with pictures from the previous year–this year it’s mostly of my new nephew, now six months old ;) I add in all of the birthdays, any other special days, etc, and put in various funny little pictures, too. People seem to really enjoy it ;)
I bought the Extraordinary Chickens calendar this year when I couldn’t find my usual favorite (David McEnery’s Fabulous Frogs http://www.amazon.com/Fabulous-Frogs-David-McEnery-Calendar/dp/B00E2VDGKO). I thought it would be pretty meh – I’m really not that into chickens – but I love it. I would buy it again for sure.
So many good options! My MIL buys the kids each a calendar for Christmas and buys us one too, and she puts everyone’s birthdays, anniversaries, etc on it. The one she gives us is usually dull though, so I always make us one with the kids pictures on each month from the same month the previous year and I put MY family’s birthdays and anniversaries on it. Then, just for me, I buy the Bluntcard calendar. It’s completely inappropriate and hilarious. :) Wait for a zazzle code and it’s much cheaper.
http://www.zazzle.com/bluntcard_2014_calendar-158253898523287022
I bought the “This is San Francisco” calendar last year because I found it on your list! I have really enjoyed it and get lots of comments on it here at work–it hangs on my cube wall. I would consider getting another one for 2014.
That Paper Source one has been my calendar the last four(?) years, and it’s on my list again this year. I share your exact thoughts on that Valentina one (which is such a shame–the prints are fantastic! Why ruin them with the word?!). Love the wallpapers one, too. I always love these round-ups of yours!
There are so many good ones on here! The Golden Age of Travel (and EVERYTHING ELSE THIS IS MY FAVORITE TIME-PERIOD IN ALL OF MATERIAL CULTURE, I will quit yelling now.)
Mid-Century Modern Ads? Fantastic time in visual culture. “This is London” looks positively delightful, and the Tutu Project makes me get all teary-eyed because of its awesomeness.
Gah. Now I want five calendars! And I am always irritated at A. for having calendars all over the house! It looks so cluttery! (But, he picks the calendars and they are usually: fish; streams; historic outhouses. I wish I was making that up.)
Maybe I will take over the calendaring for 2014!
I also want this one by Edward Gorey, the wonderfully dark artist that did the opening credits for PBS’s Masterpiece Mystery: http://www.goreystore.com/shop/calendars/edward-gorey-edward-gorey-2014-wall-calendar
My calendar shopping is the opposite of exciting. I just pick up a calendar at the Dollar Tree. The one with the biggest squares for writing appointments/meetings/races/games/practices etc. Because the picture will be covered with school lunch menus, permission slips, reminders, etc. This year we have vaguely creepy chimpanzees doing human activities like being dentists and gardening. Next year’s calendar has been purchased, and it’s cupcakes.
I often get a calendar from Rifle Paper Co., though I usually wait til there’s a sale. This year, I could not resist when I saw this calendar had Savannah as one of the pages, since that’s my hometown! http://riflepaperco.com/item/2014_Travel_America_Calendar/478/c44
I usually get a geekier one for work, like the Elements Calendar, or the Mathematics one you have here! The Oatmeal might also be a good choice…
I just bought the Minecraft calendar for my nephew in 5 Below. I think it was $3.00. If you have one anywhere near you you might want to take a look.
Thanks Swistle! I just bought the math one for my brainy brother-in-law. He will love it. Do the questions appeal to PhD-in-math type of people are smart middle-schoolers? Or is there a range? Either way, it is going to be a hit with my bro-in-law – and his kids who love problem solving.
I get the feeling there’s something of a range. Some of them stump Paul’s PhD-type co-workers, and some of them Paul brings home to see if the kids can figure them out. Rob wants his own calendar this year, and he’s a 9th-grader (and math/computer-type of person).
Thanks for the reply!
I buy the Sandra Boyntom Mom’s Organizer calendar each year. The kids like the photos, it comes with lots of stickers, and my children are still a bit too young to understand a calendar. I really, really like how it is organized, with the dates down the side and places for names across the top, so I can keep track of meetings, doctor appointments, etc. I have to remind my husband to write his stuff down all the time, of course.
My favorite post of the year! I have already asked for the Golden Age of Travel one for Xmas. But I’m tempted to get the Little Critters one again – really enjoyed that one a few years ago. Maybe next year – apparently I need a few years in between critters.
I love the Paper Source calendars, but I usually wait until a little after January starts so they will be on sale.
I look forward to this post every year! I love calendars. Inspired by Artemisia’s comment above, I just bought an Edward Gorey calendar for my sister, who loves Gorey (but not the calendar linked above – a smaller one, here: http://www.calendars.com/Edward-Gorey-The-Evil-Garden-2014-Mini-Wall-Calendar/prod201400005695/?cm_mmc=google-_-Product_Extensions-_-products-_-201400005695&cagpspn=pla&gclid=COvDxs67prsCFTRo7AodMGAAbQ).
I also bought myself a Beatrix Potter calendar (SO cute), and a Saints one for my dad. For the moment , my calendar needs are satisified.
Mine! :) http://simplysunsets.blogspot.com/2013/12/2014-outer-banks-sunsets-calendars.html So excited, I’ve never made a calendar before. But this year my goal was to take a sunset photo every day (we live on the Outer Banks) so I made a calendar!
I don’t normally buy any calendars but I kind of want to get one now after reading this. My husband buys a Doctor Who calendar every year. We have extremely limited wall space at home so it goes in the laundry just off the kitchen. My sister gives us a calendar for Christmas every year with pictures of her kids. I guess I am a bad aunt because I feel about pictures of my nephews the same way you feel about the chickens.
I don’t ever buy a calendar until after New Years, and then I buy whatever seems the most fun at wherever I happen to first encounter calendars being sold in January. If, of course, I haven’t already received one or seven as a gift- my birthday is on the 30th, and so I often get a lot of birthday-gift-calendars. One year, I had one regular AND two page-a-day. Too many calendars!
Charlie H for me. The pictures make me happy :)
I’ve gotten this cityscape calendar for four years:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/165021863/2014-letterpress-cityscape-postcard-wall?ref=shop_home_active
It doesn’t have spaces to write in, but I don’t use calendars that way. (I use my phone calendar for everything.) Each year, the cities on the calendar are different, and when you’re done, you can use the cityscape as a postcard to send to someone. It’s gorgeous and I love it every year.
I actually use on of those big dry erase calendars for functional purposes but historically, I receive about a million paper calendars over Christmas.
Past favourites have included an Andy Warhol quotes calendar and a hubble space telescope pictures calendar.
The Mathematics calendar! looks so cool for my hubby–thanks! We bought a calendar as a summer vacation souvenir so we’ll be enjoying retro graphics of our National Parks during 2014.
I bought the Travel America calendar, too. The Rifle one. Mine has a different cover, though. Maybe because I got it at Anthropologie? That’s how I’ve been choosing my calendar for the last few years: I walk into Anthro, look at the two or three choices, and pick the one I like best. Way easier for me, since I don’t do well when faced with an entire Amazon of options.
M’lady, you just saved me a trip to the accursed MALL–I have a neighbor who loves chickens. Thank you so much!
I could not buy two of the math calendars fast enough! They are PERFECT for the two math-y men in my life. Thank you!
Hey Swistle, have you seen this one?
http://www.amazon.com/Song-Library-2014-Wall-Calendar/dp/1449434150/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_21
Oooo, no, I hadn’t seen this one! I like it!
I just catalogued a book at the library by Jeffrey Brown (the illustrator of the Star Wars calendar) and almost immediately wanted to steal it and bring it home for the boys to read. Which is to say: hey! he has a calendar, too? Cool.
Can I tell you how much I love this post every year? The perspectives are fun and I like to see how your children’s tastes are changing.
I don’t use a paper calendar at home (gasp!) but I did order the math calendar for my sister for Christmas. Thanks for the tip :)