Christmas in NB - Two Thumbs Way Up

I'm back from my Christmas trek to New Brunswick.

It was great to be with my parents and loads of aunts, uncles & cousins for Christmas. It was also great to share the trip with someone who'd never a) been to NB, or b) experienced a good ol' fashioned Acadian Christmas. Here are some of the highlights:

• Mom's meat pie and some poutine râpée
• a Christmas Eve stroll under a clear sky, watching the shooting stars
• a Christmas morning walk on my parents' near 100 acres of land
• Christmas dinner and merrymaking with my family in Neguac, complete with guitars, dobro & fiddle
• another walk in the woods after about four inches of freshly fallen snow
• hours spent working on a jigsaw puzzle by the fireplace with my Dad
• a leisurely drive through Acadian villages along the Southeast coast of NB
• a leisurely drive through Quebecois villages along the St Lawrence on our way back to Ottawa
• an apple beer sipped in a cozy pub in Vieux Québec with stone walls, an arched low stone ceiling and a roaring fire - the room, probably built in the 1600's, was used to store furs to keep them dry
  

Not bad for a week eh?

The trip had its ups & downs as I continue adjusting to my new life, but all in all, this year's Christmas trip to NB gets two thumbs way up. :)

Merry Merry Christmas!

I'm leaving for New Brunswick tomorrow morning. I'll be home for Christmas this year and I'm looking forward to it. Mom's meat pie, r&r by the fireplace, a family Christmas party and a new special someone to share it with. It's all good. :)

Merry Christmas to all.

Steph
xo

Winter Solstice

Today is the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. I've always had a soft spot for this day, along with its celebrations rooted in ancient rituals related to Mother nature and our transition from darkness into light - or rebirth. I invite you to take a moment to include it in your Holiday reflections.

Oh happy day to you.

Urban Living Checkpoint - A Holiday Special

December 17th will mark my eleventh month as an urbanite; it's time for a checkpoint. Given the season I thought I'd give it a Holiday theme, so I present to you some of my favourite holiday-related happenings as a city slicker:

• snowy rooftops outside my balcony window (this was before the temps hit 9 degrees Celsius!)
• neighbourhood houses - from the quaint to the grandiose - decorated with lights, wreaths and greenery
• surprise Christmas trees in tiny urban front yards (see previous post)
• business storefronts with winter and Christmas displays
• people wearing Santa hats
• people bundled up with stylish coats, boots and scarves (again, before the 9 degree temps)
• young men with surprisingly pleasant voices, most likely intoxicated, belting out Christmas carols at midnight under a thick, spiralling snowfall
• proximity of restaurants, cafés and venues for holiday get-togethers and shows
• proximity of my favourite video store to rent my favourite holiday movies
• proximity of cozy pubs to gather with friends and have a beer on a cold evening

I could probably go on and on. There's such a great vibe out there right now. There's a lot of energy and for the most part, a lot of good cheer. I like it.

A Neighbourhood Treat

I've been cocooning a lot these days. Cocooning's ok, but I want to get out more and enjoy the scenery, the fresh air, the local vibe. It lifts my spirits.

Today I had to run some errands and decided to incorporate a walk by taking the long way to my destination. I sauntered through my neighbourhood, enjoying the look and feel of old houses decked out for the holidays.

It seems that every time I go out, I run into the most pleasant surprises. Today I turned a corner and spotted a tree in a teeny tiny front yard that made my jaw drop. Its grey, bare branches were perfectly decorated with funky coloured ornaments: fuchsia and turquoise globes, gold and silver pendants, all hung with gold string. I stopped in my tracks and stared in wonder like a kid taking in the loot left by Santa on Christmas morning.

What a treat. I really should get out more.

Christmas Cards In The Mail

I received my first Christmas cards today. They weren't sent to Mom, nor were they sent to my sister's 'cause no one knows where I live anymore, they were sent here - to my home.

Sniff. I feel so rooted. :)

Another Holiday Classic

OK, I promise I won't start listing all my favourite holiday classics on my blog (The Grinch, A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty ...), but tonight I look forward to celebrating with the Griswold family in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Year after year, watching Chevy Chase - aka Clark Griswold - put up that Christmas tree just cracks me up!

"Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse."
- Clark Griswold, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Now that's classic!

A Sap For Holiday Classics

I'm a self-confessed sap when it comes to holiday movies and music. Last night I popped myself a bag of popcorn, poured myself a rum & coke and settled on the couch to watch the 1942 musical Holiday Inn.

Maybe it's the cozy setting of a Connecticut inn complete with a crackling fire and snow softly falling in the background; maybe it's the combination of Bing Crosby's voice, Fred Astaire's feet and Marjorie Reynolds' beauty; or maybe it was my rum & coke. Whatever it was, when Crosby and Reynolds started singing White Christmas at the piano, I got goose bumps and tears started welling up. They just don't make 'em like that anymore.

Yup. A big sap indeed.

Studio Sparks - A Few More CBC Freebies in Ottawa

If you live in the Ottawa area, Studio Sparks, a CBC noon hour radio show broadcast on CBC Radio Two, will be hosting two live music events in its studio: on December 12th pianist Alain Lefèvre and on December 20th, an Ottawa folk trio called Finest Kind.

Doors open at 11:30 and they're located at 181 Queen Street downtown. Both events are free but on a first-come first-serve seating basis. For more info, see the Studio Sparks Web site.

More free entertainment within walking distance - I love it!

Wanna Buy A Wreath?

Instead of spamming my friends and family, I thought this might be a good place for a quick post related to my seasonal wreath-making business. If you're interested in buying a wreath at half-price, read on. If not, please pardon my plug and come back soon as I resume my normal posts.

As many of you know, I make and sell seasonal wreaths. I have a few leftover designs from last year available for half the original price. If you're like me and not quite done your Christmas shopping, they make great gifts, or you can pick one up just for you! :)

Check them out on my Flickr page. In addition to those pictured on Flickr, I have two grapevine wreaths available for $12.50 each (regular $25) - one gold with burgundy berries and the other natural with gold berries. I like them. They're simple, but elegant.

I'm also open to designing new wreaths if you don't see anything that tickles your fancy. If ever you're interested, let me know and we can discuss.

'Til the next post!

A Perfect Holiday Setting, A Perfect Holiday Night

Sunday's CBC reading of A Christmas Carol was a timely reminder of what the upcoming season is really all about - thank you Mr. Scrooge, or should I say thank you Mr. Dickens.

The evening consisted of a series of readings interspersed with Christmas carols and singalongs. The church was packed with a mixed audience: families with young children, older folks decked out with red & green sweaters and a younger, I'm guessing mostly left-leaning, crowd. During the readings, all lights were out except a lamp on a lectern that cast a glow on each narrator's face as he or she read. It was magical.

One of the best parts of the evening? Being able to walk to and from the concert. My date and I were greeted by big fluffy snowflakes as we stepped outside, bundled up for a crisp December night. We picked up a coffee at Bridgehead on the way and enjoyed the walk through downtown streets. A perfect holiday setting to a perfect holiday night.

Holiday Happenings in the City

We've had our first bit of snow that's stayed on the ground. Now when I look out my balcony window the rooftops are white and I like it. It's got me in the Christmas spirit.

To help things along, tonight I'm kicking off my Holiday calendar with a CBC reading of A Christmas Carol. Here are a few other things I'm thinking of taking in to celebrate the season ...

Christmas Lights Across Canada Illumination Ceremony

CBC taping of A Gospel Christmas Celebration

Parliament building's Centre Block Open House

National Art Centre Orchestra Christmas FanFair concert

The best part is that all of these things are free!

Here's wishing you a good start to you're own Holiday celebrating. :)