Hello, friends, and Happy Hanukkah, Happy Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy Christmas! Here's an essay I wrote a few years ago about the surprisingly recent roots of three Christmas traditions. Hope you have a splendid week. I'll be back on December 28 with my final blog post. Quick: name three Christmas symbols. If you’re like me, the first things you picture are Christmas trees, a … [Read more...]
Rhythm and celebration
My lovelies, it's been this kind of week: Everyone's wiped, but there are still 3 weeks of school left before the winter holidays. 19 days until we pick up our dog, Mac. The four-year-old is sick and I've been at home with her, cuddling and reading and taking 2 hours to measure and mix a simple cake. And in this season of countdowns, we've just set up an advent calendar that has, most … [Read more...]
Inventing tradition
Merry Christmas, to those who celebrate it! Right now, I am frantically wrapping presents and mumbling nasty things about my to-do list, so here's a re-post from December 2009, about Victorian Christmas inventions. Hope you enjoy it, and have a wonderful holiday! Quick: name three Christmas symbols. If you’re like me, the first things you picture are Christmas trees, a red-suited Santa Claus … [Read more...]
Toronto’s Harbourfront
Hello, friends. I've been in Toronto for the past few days, gadding about. This is a bit of a March ritual for my family during which we see dear friends, closely compare a range of cafés, and walk until we're footsore. I have a long list of favourite things and places but I made a couple of discoveries along Queen's Quay and the Harbourfront this year that I'm especially pleased with. - Pearl … [Read more...]
Shopping (the bookish kind)
Hello, friends. It will probably not surprise you to know that when I go on holiday, I like to bring home books as souvenirs. I love plucking a book from the shelf and remembering both the book and the place where I bought it. For me, the combined memory becomes that much more precious, and I seem to remember more details about the holiday when they're paired with a book. Here's our family's … [Read more...]
Negotiating with tradition
Hello friends! We celebrate Christmas in our house, and we're still figuring out our traditions. I come from a family whose only tradition is to not have any traditions (even the Christmas tree was hit-and-miss throughout my childhood, and I doubt we've ever eaten the same Christmas dinner twice), and my spouse, Nick, is from a family with very strong, sentimental rituals. He and I have talked … [Read more...]