Posts Tagged ‘christmas’

You're wrapping gifts. I'm making cocktail sauce for the shrimp. You’re stressed. I’m stressed. Take a deep belly breath and focus on what is really going on here. What a luxury it is to be stressed over a holiday such as this one, a season of light and love. This season is a gift – like this video.

When I think of all the gifts we get at this time of year, I love the human ones the best. I'm talking about people, the ones that make our own personal worlds a better place.

Right now, I’m talking about my friend, Julia Armstrong. She sings in the choir featured in the video, Schola Magdalena, and it was filmed by Paulus Productions for Bravo! It's a visual interpretation of “Alleluia,” an ancient Hebrew word of prayer meaning “All Hail to Him Who Is.”

Julia’s been a huge support to me in my life ever since I met her at Canadian Living years ago. She doesn't work here anymore, she moved on years ago. But I still miss her. Why?

She’s lovely. She’s honest, she’s bright and she’s smart. She's been an amazing friend when some truly awful things happened to me. And she's been there for some very good laughs, including one time I wanted to die when I left a voice mail that I meant to leave for her for an unintended recipient instead, reminding me that no one had died.

Her friendship is as real and as tangible to me as Santa Claus is to kids – only better because she doesn't disappear up a chimney for the rest of the year!

The best part? She’s not afraid to let her light shine. Especially when she sings. I don't sing much, but I can't deny the power of beautiful voices in song, especially at Christmastime. I hope you enjoy the gift of Schola Magdalena this year as much as I do. Alleluia and Merry Christmas, every one.

What about you? What's your favourite gift that doesn't come wrapped under a tree?

It's easy to get caught up in the insanity of the season.

Although we spend countless hours making our lists and shopping for the special people in our lives, Christmas isn't just about the gifts, is it?
Ask anyone about their favourite present and they'll tell you how it made them feel.
It's about creating emotions.
It's about making someone feel loved and appreciated.

But what about total strangers?

How do you spread those feeling to people you've never even met?

Here are a few stories that have warmed the cockles of my heart and strengthened my faith in humankind.

Earlier this month, a woman walked into a Michigan store and anonymously paid off a few shoppers layaway items. Her only request: that the orders included toys. She simply left a balance of $10 on each.
One of the recipients was a single mom of a 12 year old autistic boy.
In an effort to survive, she had adopted the idea that everyone was out for themselves and that life was just one trial after another. This Secret Santa reminded her that there are still people out there that think of others before themselves. Not only did she brighten a child's Christmas that day, she restored her faith in people and the world at large.

Last Friday, Justin Bieber performed a private concert for Whitney Elementary, a high poverty school in Las Vegas. In addition to touring the school, talking to the kids and handing out presents, he handed over $100,000 check to the principal, Sherri Ghan.

I applaud Justin for putting smiles on the faces of these very worthy children and their needy families, but the real hero in this story is Sheri.
When she arrived at Whitney 8 years ago, she was shocked to see the students eating ketchup packets.
When she realized that they were grappling with homelessness, she told the parents “I’ll pay your electrical bill, your utilities, I’ll give you food or clothes, whatever you need, as long as you give me your child and then help raise that child as a person of character.”

OMG. That phrase warms my heart like you wouldn't believe.

These stories are about the beauty of the people that we share our world with.
They're about selflessly wanting to spread the joy and paying it forward.
They're about wanting our world to be a better place.
They're about small acts of kindness and watching them take flight.

This time of year has a way of opening our hearts and making them smile.

Now isn't that what Christmas is all about.

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Still looking for something for the animal lover on your Christmas list?

How about making them an Animal Guardian? Costing only $30, your contribution will support the Humane Society of Canada's efforts to protect pets (such as dog, cats and birds), horses, farm animals and lab animals.

As a thank-you, you'll receive a certificate of appreciation acknowledging your support of animals and their environment, a fact sheet on how your money will be used and a cute stuffed toy.

A plush toy will be a nice reminder of the real animal you're helping (overly decorated Christmas tree not included).

According to a recent survey from south of the border, 51 per cent of dog owners and 46 per cent of cat owners bought gifts for their pets last year. No doubt furry critters across Canada felt the love as well – and will feel it again this Christmas.

Here are some of our favourite gift ideas for the four-legged friends on your shopping list.

FOR DOGS

Grreat Choice Cuddler Plush Bed

Good night, Fido, and sleep tight in the microsuede Grreat Choice 22" Cuddler Plush Bed. (I'm betting the cat will try and grab a nap here, too.)
Available at PetSmart; $20.

Dogit Design Gumi

Your dog probably enjoys having his teeth brushed as much as your three-year-old does. Turn dental time into playtime with the Dogit Design Gumi from Hagen. Three different toys – one for flossing, one for removing plaque and one for cleaning those hard-to-reach areas – are available, and each comes in three sizes.
Available at pet specialty stores; $12 to $20.

Eco Pooch Shampoo

Eco Pooch, a line of five environmentally friendly shampoos from Live Clean, will leave your dog feeling and smelling fresh as can be. Julia McEwen, the senior beauty and fashion editor at Canadian Living, tried out the Super Deodorizing Baking Soda Shampoo on her Norwich terrier, Brooks. Check out the results!
Available at Wal-Mart; $9 each.

Snow Seeker Coat

Your canine will be styling with the Snow Seeker Coat from Canada Pooch.
Available at pet specialty stores; $38 to $55.

Muttlucks

Protect your pooch's paws from the elements with a pair of Muttlucks.
Available at Pet Valu; $43.

FOR CATS

Imperial Cat Scratcher

Your cat can scratch, play and nap to her heart's content with this Imperial Cat Scratcher.
Available at Pet Valu; $23.

Catit Design Senses Grass Garden Kit

Bring the outdoors inside with the Catit Design Senses Grass Garden Kit. Grass is a great source of fibre for your feline, aids in digestion and helps prevent hairball buildup.
Available at PJ's Pets; $20 (until Dec. 24; then $24).

Play-N-Squeak Thrill of the Chase

Let your cat get in touch with her preying instincts as she hunts the mouse in Play-N-Squeak Thrill of the Chase. This catnip game provides both mental and physical stimulation.
Available at Pet Valu; $20 (until Dec. 24; $22 after).

FOR SMALL ANIMALS:

My First Home 3-Storey Hamster Cage

Roll out the welcome mat for your pet hamster with My First Home 3-Storey Hamster Cage. It comes tricked out with a wheel, two food and water dishes, two shelves and two safety ramps.
Available at PJ's Pets; $29 (until Dec. 24; then $50).

Martin Apple Dumplings

Treat your pet rabbit to a taste of Martin Apple Dumplings or Banana Muffins.
Available at Pet Valu; $5 (until Dec. 24; $6 after).

Nibblers Small Pet Chew Toys

Keep little teeth active and out of trouble with Nibblers Small Pet Chew Toys from Living World.
Available at PJ's Pets; $3 to $7.

ALL ANIMALS:

Animal First Aid Kit

Ensure your pet's well-being is close at hand with this Animal First Aid Kit from the Humane Society of Canada. The kit was put together with the input of veterinarians and animal care experts, and includes tweezers, rescue sheets, sterile gauze pads and much more. (For the entire contents list, click here.) Bonus: All of the money from the sale of the kit supports the society's programs to protect animals and the environment.
Available from the Humane Society of Canada; $30.

Will your pet be finding something under the tree this year?

And right now, I’m happy. It's the time of year when I get to celebrate Christmas in Canada. And I am. Canadian. Hey, remember the Molson ad? I still love it – my favourite part is that his name is Joe, and he is way too excited about toques and beavers!

There is only one video that is better than this one at this time of year, when I get to see miracles, and not just in the movies, either. I get to witness the spirit of Christmas in real people in real life (I do like the word “miracle”).

Don’t doubt me, it's true. Doug, my coworker passed this on to me last week, and I can't stop watching it. Nobody's going to tell me this cute kid from Winnipeg isn't a miracle. Except maybe the Grinch before his heart grew and grew and grew. Or Scrooge. Or, oh never mind. You get the message.

I love this kid. It's all about the snow, the drumming, his shorts and his red mittens. Really, it's all about the kids delivering the message.

Oh, one more thing. I want to share a personal miracle. This year, I decided to simplify our Christmas dinner. Everyone agreed it was just too much food, but no one wanted to give up the lasagna, so we sacrificed the turkey instead. But I was really sad. I love eating turkey dinner!

Are you sitting down? Here comes the miracle. Mary White, one of our Swell Girls bookclub members hosted the December one this year. And made a turkey dinner for us: turkey, stuffing, gravy, beet salad, sweet potatoes, squash, mashed potates, pumpkin pie and ice cream.

Swell Girls Book Club after turkey dinner. We were much thinner when we first arrived! That’s Mary White, on the far right. That's me, in the back row, looking like I'm about nine months pregnant (I'm not, it's just my food baby!)

Honestly, I could not believe the universe had delivered this delightful meal to me – and that I did not have to prep or cook or clean up. Mary White, I think you're a miracle. Thank you!

Next week, more miracles. Love and light xoxo

I always considered my cat as part of the family. While I never went as far as to sign her name to a Christmas card, I will admit that come every December 25, there was always something under the tree with her name on it.

No doubt she enjoyed the box of Tender Vittles or pouch of kitty treats waiting for her (the bow taped on top no doubt seen strictly as an unnecessary nuisance). But the real treat for her was the avalanche of paper to play with.

Jennifer Bartoli, the editorial intern for StyleAtHome.com, as well as the food lover behind the blog Chocolate Shavings, found her cat's curiosity got the best of him when she was decorating her tree this year. Lucky for Jennifer, Alaska stood still long enough for her to get this photo.

(Photo by Jennifer Bartoli)

Your pet may have no clue what all the fuss is about – or why there’s suddenly a tree in the living room – but he or she will probably notice everyone’s jolly mood. Just remember, though: while you embrace your pet in the holiday spirit, keep an eye out for any potential holiday hazards that may be lurking.

I asked our Facebook friends how they include their pets in their Christmas celebrations. Here are a few of my favourite responses.

Tammy McCaffrey – I have 2 dogs and we put treats in their stockings and wrap a gift for them. They love helping unwrap it!

Cheryl Forshner – Every critter (2 dogs, 1 cat and a guinea pig) in the house has a gift under the tree. And when my children were younger, the critters gave a gift to the children.

Debra Donaghey – Last year we took our guinea pig, Blaster, to get a family photo with Santa. Apparently, he was trying to nibble on Santa's glove while we were getting ready to pose for the picture!

Shannon Pepin – Meow-y Cat-mas and a Hairy New Year to all! I celebrate by dressing her in silly costumes long enough to try and take some pictures, of course. LOL.

Maria Mokas Christakos – I do the stockings and 'lil treats and toys (3 cats, 1 dog). I got them those felt collars that look like what a court jester would wear – red and green with bells on the tips. Borderline animal cruelty, I guess. LOL!

Shontelle R. – I make animal-friendly edible ornaments and flavoured holiday organic treats. They each have their own stocking with their name on it, and they get gifts from family and friends, as well as from Santa Paws!

Lori Dixon – Miss Mew has her own stocking, which is hung by her cat tree with care, in hopes that Santy Claws will come fill it up with goodies. This year, with the addition of a hamster, we have a tiny stocking by her cage with her name on it. Trixie will be getting some kind of chew toy in her stocking:)

Brenda Krystalowich – My Indy helps my husband carve the turkey, LOL! He also gets his own stocking full of treats and a new toy. My cat also gets some treats, but she's always on the naughty list.

How about you? Are your pets active participants in your family's holiday festivities?

Ooooh!

It smells delicious in my kitchen and it's full of men.

Lip smacking yummy men. At least a few dozen of them. They're everywhere. I'm finding them on the countertops. Some are hanging out on the table. I've even spotted some in the oven of all places.

Ok, that's enough. Get your mind out of the gutter. We're baking today and we're making gingerbread men.

Although a few good men won't make it out of the kitchen alive, the whole purpose of today is to make heartfelt homemade gifts for family & friends.

Gifts made with love, from our kitchen to yours.

So, please accept these virtual gingerbread men and our wishes for a very joyous holiday season.

And down the avenue they came, all dressed in red.

Running for a good cause (courtesy Toronto Santa Speedo Run)

In the past couple of weeks I've shared snapshots of holiday traditions in Banff Lake Louise, Alberta, St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, New Brunswick and Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the city where I live, Toronto, Yuletide rituals tend to follow the same traditional, cozy pattern that you'll find in other parts of Canada. However, there are a few Christmas traditions in the venerable Big Smoke (a long-held nickname for Toronto) that offer a twist of their own. The Toronto Santa Speedo Run is just one of them.

Decked out in nothing but red Speedos and a smile (and maybe an elf's cap), a group of diehard, big-hearted runners take to the streets of the trendy Yorkville area of Toronto  on a Saturday in mid-December (this year's run was on Dec. 11)  in an annual fund-raiser for the Hospital for Sick Children. The group, men and women of all shapes, have raised more than $140,000 since 2005 and the proceeds go to the Toys and Games fund at Sick Kids.

Warming up before the run (courtesy Toronto Santa Speedo Run)

Chilly temperatures and snow can't keep a good runner down (courtesy Toronto Santa Speedo Run)

It's never too late to donate. Just visit the  Toronto Santa Speed Run donation page or contact Sick Kids Hospital.

And if you're so inclined, ask Santa for a pair of sneakers this year and join next year's run. There's a red Speedo waiting with your name on it. (Now that could make a fun stocking stuffer.)

Cheers!

The Great Dad, Walter Gretzky, shares his family's holiday traditions, Christmas dinner favourites, and his enthusiastic support of Christmas Seals.

How does the Gretzky family celebrate Christmas?
"We all get together on Christmas Day," says Gretzky, who is, of course, father to hockey hero Wayne as well as sons Keith, Glen and Brent and daughter Kim, plus he's a proud grandfather.

Walter Gretzky, who is the Canadian Christmas Seals Ambassador for 2010, shows off the design for this year's seal.

"All the kids start opening their presents, wondering what Grandpa brought them and what their mom and dad brought them. And we have the big dinner here at the house where all the family members get together, so that's pretty nice."

On the menu for Christmas dinner
"I like cabbage rolls like my mother used to always make. We never, ever had Christmas with out perogies and cabbage rolls. Always, always, always," says Gretzky, who enjoys the traditional fare of his parents who were both Belarusian immigrants.

Christmas Seals
Christmas Seals, which benefit the Lung Association, are a big part of the holidays for everyone's favourite hockey dad. Gretzky is Canadian Christmas Seals Ambassador for 2010, a campaign that supports The Lung Association. Walter’s interest in lung health stems back to 2005, when he lost his wife, Phyllis, to lung cancer.

"Christmas Seals are very special to me. The Lung Association is very special to me because I no longer have Mrs. Gretzky. She is gone now because of lung disease," says Mr. Gretzky. "We're trying to raise money for research for lung disease so no one else loses a family member. I've lost a number of them already — my wife and my mother-in-law — both to lung disease."

What's on his wish list?
"I'd just like to have health and happiness for everyone. I hope next year will be as fabulous as this year was," he says.

You can support the Christmas Seals campaign here.

A friend, who was born in Winnipeg (let's be clear about that up front), once told me that "You're not a Winnipegonian until you've had to chop your bike out of the ice in the spring." I shared this with my cousin's son who moved to the capital of Manitoba a few years ago. "That's no joke," he told me. "Everyone here absolutely embraces the cold and the snow."

I've had the chance to visit Winnipeg only once in a blizzard and I was surprised that it didn't faze anyone. I had been invited to participate in a sweat lodge ceremony, which I wrote about for Canadian Living magazine. It was shortly before Christmas, and bitterly cold. After an hour or more inside the sweat lodge (an experience I would highly recommend to anyone) my cohorts and I stepped outside – in our shorts and towels – into bitter cold and snow and nobody seemed fazed by it.

So it shouldn't surprise you to learn how snow and ice play just a big part of the holiday season in Winnipeg. Let me share with you a few wintry moments that make Winnipeg a great place to visit – during the festive season or throughout the winter.

Winnipeg in Winter Will Frost Your Ears, but Melt Your Heart

Picture-perfect Wintry Winnipeg (Photo: Andres Villafana)

Winnipeg is a walkable city, sunshine or snow. Ambling about the streets during the holiday season is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. There's the  Exchange District (cool cafes, trendy restaurants, amazing architecture, artisan shops...), The Forks National Historic Site (scenic historic landmarks, entertainment complex right in the middle of the city), the Winnipeg Art Gallery (Inuit, Nunavut, Prairie and international art collections), FortWhyte Alive (140-acre nature and historical interpretive centre just outside Winnipeg, with roaming bison, authentic sod houses, nature trails and exhibits), the MTS Centre entertainment and sports complex (which hosts concerts, pow-wows and sports games) and more.

Skating on the Seine

Lone skater on the Seine River, Winnipeg (Photo: Debbie Vokey)

The meandering Seine River winds its way through prairie lands before reaching the city of Winnipeg. The river freezes over in winter, providing months of outdoor  skating. And if you're not overly keen to strap on blades, then grab your camera. The landscape is a magnet for amateur photographers.

The City at Night Lit Up for the Holidays

Manitoba Legislative Building at Night (photo: Tiffany Veldkamp)

It's obvious that Winnipegonians (or is it Winnipegers?) take Christmas seriously when you see how  the government buildings get all dolled up for the holidays.  Locals and tourists alike shouldn't miss an opportunity for a post-dinner walk through downtown Winnipeg. And if you want to get out of the cold in the daytime, you're always welcome to tour inside the Manitoba Legislative Building.

Art in the Park

Pavilion in Assiniboine Park (Photo: Pam Cameron)

If you're looking for a daytime outing during the holidays that will appeal to the entire family, look no further than Assiniboine Park . The art gallery in the Pavilion (pictured here) is a good place to warm up after skiing on almost 6 kms of cross-country ski trails, which are groomed twice-weekly. Another fun spot to warm up is the Duck Pond Shelter.

Walking in the Snow

River of Ice (photo: Cathleen Hjalmarson)

Sure, everything freezes over in Winnipeg in winter - but that's what makes it so special. The Winnipeg Public Works department maintains a good mix of ski trails right within city boundaries. Visit their Cross Country Ski Trails section online for trail conditions and times.

The Forks in Winter

Arctic Glacier Park, The Forks (photo: Travel Manitoba)

Aboriginal tribes originally used this riverside spot, where the Red River meets the Assiniboine River, as a meeting place for ceremonies and trade. Today, The Forks is one of the most impressive public spaces in Canada. The Prairie Garden, the Peace Meeting Site and the Arctic Glacier Park  are a few of the venues  at this popular Winnipeg complex. And, yes, hot chocolate and indoor shopping are part of the package! Holiday programs and activities run through December and into early January.

Have you checked out Christmas in Banff Lake Louise,  St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick?