Dec 15, 2013 - Jan 5, 2014 Photo A Day Project

Oh, how I hope your holidays were lovely this year. 

Probably similar to many of yours, our season was laced with ultra-cold weather, oodles of plates, bowls, and glasses of deliciousness (some of which you'll see below), and enchanting social gatherings. It was great fun and...  exhausting! Not sure about you, but I'm ready to get back to normal life.

The Photo-a-Day project continues to grab me, so on we go... wee glimpses of my past three weeks:

15 - Lights

One of the many lit up homes in our neighbourhood.
Still love the blue and white!

 

16 - Makes me feel merry

The LOML

17 - Tree

And snowflakes! As much as I love the trees in full leaf,
their sharp winter blackness against the white snow and sky
also makes me smile.

18 - Big

Now THAT'S a snow blower!

Nearly 100 people on that giant stage filled the room with the glorious sound
of Handel's Messiah! Thank you, Nadine, for the wonderful gift.

19 - 'Tis the season to ...

Bake! Indulge! Give away!
These made our mail carrier and recycle guy VERY happy. :)

20 - I'm listening to ...

Who can resist Nat King Cole at Christmastime?

21 - On the door

Christmas Party at our house!!!

22 - Sparkly

Lots of love on my left hand... and...

also on my right... Gramps and Gran's 50th? anniversary ring

23 - Tradition

First Annual Christmapuck!
Had a blast at the Senator's hockey game with P's son and the bro's

24 - Wrapped

No wrapped gifts this year, but we did have these
delightful Christmas crackers!

25 - Best bit of your day

Just home from a fabulous Christmas day lunch with the Bogan clan!
(Forgot to take photos there... silly me! Thanks, again, Val and family.)

26 - Where I slept

Heaven
(and clearly one of Penny's sleeping spots, too!)

27 - What you're doing now

Eating artichokes -- BIG surprise!
Hi, my name's Patrice, and I'm a choke-aholic....

28 - Something awesome

Fabulous prezzie: 3 month membership! Yes! (Thanks yet again, Val.)

29 - Reflect best bit of 2013

Best Birthday EVER! (and I've had some great ones.)

30 - You

The Permanent Residency Packet, she is on her way.
All prayers and good thoughts welcome.

31 - Celebrate

Another great party where (for some unknown reason) my camera stayed in my purse.
Thanks, Jenn and Don for the delightful New Year's Eve party!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
2014 is going to be WONDERFUL!

1 - Lunch

Yummy kitchari (brown rice + mung beans + turmeric)
topped with Greek yogurt -- a staple of this post-holiday 8-day cleanse

2 - Begins with G...

Another batch of Pierre's current favourite soup: Gumbo!

3 - My town

Too cold to be out in it, but here are some photos :)

4 - Word to live by

A gift from my dearest friend, Vickie
(who is in my thoughts and prayers every day)

5 - Found

It took a little hunting, but he found them
right where they'd been patiently waiting for the past two years.
And we're back on the ice! Yeah!!

Christmas Spirit - Some Random Thoughts

Ahh, the gift of life, and what we do with it.... It's the "Holiday Season." (How odd, our political wording, and yet I choose to respect all paths).  

Most people I know are either Christian or Agnostic, so the circles I run in sing a similar tune: Merry Christmas! Be Jolly! It's the Season of Peace. Joy to the world. Happy, happy, happy.... And yet so often those sentiments seem to ring hollow when the real people in my life share their thoughts and feelings about late November to early January. There's So Much Stress! 

I happen to love Thanksgiving and Christmas. Always have.... I was blessed with a family who love each other dearly and have made a big deal of being together (or missing each other), cooking and eating too much, partying, and gifting each other. (Although, since none of us really need anything, we have moved to non-gift-giving.) Even with my lucky history around the holidays, I look around and see people in pain, and I feel it with them.

Especially during this season, we are advertised to death. Sold everything from what our house decorations are supposed to look like to the obligation of giving just the right gift. It's another chapter in the "Keeping Up With the Joneses" book, as opposed to an outpouring of gratitude and sharing of our abundance.

Granted, I'm not saying this is everyone... there are some I know who love this season as I do. They revel in the traditions, want to put up the lights and decorate the tree -- at least the women and kids seem to ;) -- and for the most part, enjoy finding and wrapping gifts for the people they love. 

Is it just that the holidays intensify already tightly wound springs? Adding another externally applied pressure to our busy lives?

I wonder how we can embody the peaceful, loving, and generous spirit that holy days are truly about, and how we can spread that love to everyone -- those who are like us, and those who are not.