That was a nail-biter.

Barely recovered from Christmas and New Year’s, I failed to adequately scrutinize the first quarter of the 2016 calendar. Big mistake. If I had, I would have been forewarned that Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, Girls Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter would be taking place in a short span of seven weeks, each requiring a care package to the offspring. If there had been a birthday in the lineup, my head (and wallet) would have exploded.

Let me state here that we aren’t Chinese or Japanese, and we might just be Irish-ish, but when you grow up in Hawaii, it’s not uncommon for families to observe other cultures’ holidays because, well, this is Hawaii, where we are constantly eating each other’s food and performing the Samoan sasa and dancing like Zorba the Greek at school May Day programs. We are the world.

Our moms started the care-package tradition when we went away to college, mailing us crack seed, arare, dried ika and Sunday Manoa albums. So when the Girl went off to college in California, I followed suit and upped the ante. Now, for the first time, both kids are living on their own across the miles from us on Maui — can you believe it? — and I can’t help myself.

I was on track for Lunar New Year, venturing to Chinatown to pick up almond cookies, peanut candy, cheap jade zodiac charms and those adorable lion-dance marionettes. The package included carefully chosen hand-painted fortunes that read, “Success in love” for the Girl and “May longevity, wealth and honor be yours” for the Boy. (Ours said, “Lots of money.”)

I might have gone too big too early, because I was starting to feel the pressure and downsized for V-Day a week later, stuffing the Priority Mail box with See’s chocolate-filled hearts and gift cards tucked into sentimental valentines.

Then things got busy at work. I was sitting at my desk March 3 when the kokeshi doll on the newspaper banner alerted me that it was Girls Day. Oh crap. Then — light bulb! — Amazon.com to the rescue with an animated e-greeting and $25 gift card that hit her inbox by noon — like I’d planned it.

“Thanks for the Girls Day card! Love you guys!! (emoji emoji).”

Three down, two to go.

Even though I had picked up some shamrock garlands on clearance at Pier 1 last year, it was clear St. Patrick’s Day was not going to happen, not with Easter less than two weeks off. So I settled for Hallmark and green Whole Foods gift cards.

That gave me time to devise a plan for the Easter baskets, second only to Christmas stockings in holiday swag. I grabbed the Walmart sock monkey basket featured in “5 Things We Love,” then visited several stores to buy an assortment of snacks and novelty items such as bubbles, whoopee cushions, bunny ears and Silly Putty in the plastic egg, ’cause it’s not Easter without Silly Putty. And more gift cards.

Now if I can nail Boys Day, Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day — hey, that Sunday brunch isn’t going to plan itself! — I’ll be in the clear.

“She Speaks” is a weekly column by female writers of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@staradvertiser.com.