101 Uses for a Mandarin Promotional Calendar

It's that time of year again!  The time of year when we open up our mailbox one day, and there it is... the Mandarin Restaurant's annual promotional calendar.  If you live near a Mandarin, you'll no doubt know the one I'm talking about.  It comes in its own little box and when you pull it out, it basically looks like a bamboo blind that's been converted into a miniature billboard/guide to the Chinese zodiac.  For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, take a gander:

2011 is apparently the Year of the Rabbit!

Now, in past years, the arrival of this calendar at our home has been the source of some very minor disagreements.  I am inclined to pitch it as soon as it arrives (forgive me, Mandarin Restaurant, for what I am about to say), as I find it to be cumbersome, not my decorating taste, and kind of cheesy.  Other people in my household, who shall remain unnamed, have tended to like the arrival of the calendar, and look for a place to hang it in our house!

I should confess that I actually feel really guilty about throwing it away.  It seems like a waste to throw away something this substantial - even if I didn't invite it to the house in the first place.  So, this year, I enlisted the help of my daughter to help find other uses for the calendar to help alleviate my guilt.

I am happy to report that not only did we find several new uses for the calendar, but that Kaycie now refuses to give up the calendar and plays with it almost daily!  Goodbye guilt! 

And now, for your viewing pleasure, our list of alternate uses for the Mandarin promotional calendar:

#1 - Pirate Accordion:

For full effect, pump arms wildly back and forth and sing "yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me!"

#2 - Toboggan:

#3 - Binoculars:

#4 - Telescope:

#5 - Boat:

With the exception of the toboggan, are you starting to see a pirate theme and wonder if our daughter has seen Peter Pan about a bajillion times recently?  Because if you were, you'd be right!

#6 - Golf Club:

#7 - Parade Flag:

I know that this picture doesn't really capture the spirit of a parade flag, but trust me...she was waving her parade flag in circles around the main floor of our house with such enthusiasm that I had to eventually confiscate it!

#8 - Bed:

#9 - Skirt:

#10 - Drumsticks:

#11 - Baseball Bat:

#12 - Super Hero Cape:

#13 - Prodding Stick for Sedentary Cats:

(No animals were harmed in the making of this blog post.)

Ok, so we couldn't come up with 101 uses, but I can still think of more:

- yoga mat
- hammock for dolls
- blind for very small window
- sushi rolling mat
- placemat
- scroll for making royal proclamations

... the possibilities are endless!  It's practically the perfect holiday gift!  What would you use your Mandarin calendar for?