Christmas


Only three sleeps until Christmas! I love this time of year – the snow, the lights, the smell of baking, the Christmas tree, my birthday, the Christmas movies, the music...  
While the voice of Andy Williams affirms on the radio that this is the most wonderful time of the year, my news feed on my phone is full of images of frightened children trying to escape from bombs, bodies of humans lying crushed on the ground in a Christmas market, a man shooting another man in a house of ART... The world is breaking my heart. This is the most wonderful and the most vulnerable time of the year right here. I cannot help but think of the millions and millions of people going through assorted suffering, despair and injustice as I sit comfortably, in my warm, decorated home, writing blissfully away. Sadness and joy are equally feeding my soul. And a strange sense of irresponsibility slowly nests into my consciousness if I choose to only share the wonderful side of my simple Christmas and overlook the news of sorrows in the world. I know this world of ours has never been perfect or sensible. But we, people, still make it increasingly divisive. We are easily destroying a healthy morality system and code of conduct that shows us how to separate right from wrong. We carelessly ignore the proven connection of the butterfly effect, that even the smallest of occurrences, such as the flutter of a butterfly's wings, can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world. We, people, still perform activities that are tremendously destructive toward nature and humanity.....
How to find holiness in the messiness of this confusing world? How to survive my tears through the heartbreaking agony of parents whose children are killed before their eyes? How to sustain belief in ideals and human progress when civic values, freedom and rights are threatened? How to deal with my anger and hopelessness?
The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the only possible answer to all these questions has been given to me and repeated time after time, after time, in one form or another:

"And thought I have the gift of prophecy and understanding all mysteries and all knowledge,
and thought I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not love,
I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and  though I give my body to be burned and have not love,
it profith me nothing.
Love suffereth long and is kind.
Love envieth not.
Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doeth not behave itself unseemly,
Seeketh not her own.
Is not easily provoked.
Thinketh no evil.
Rejoiceth not in inequity, but rejoiceth in the truth.
Beareth all things.
Believeth all things.
Hopeth all things.
Endureth all things.
Love never fails.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. But now abideth faith, hope, love... these three. But the greatest of these is LOVE."
                                                                                                                                                                    1 Corinthians 13 

I know, the world does not need my opinion on everything. But the world, I believe, desperately needs my genuine empathy. My hope. My grace. My generosity. My acceptance. The world needs from me to do my job and to do it with passion. The world needs my contribution and accountability. My benevolence. My gratitude. My open heart. My love.  Most of all, the world needs my awareness and peaceful mind. No one can say it better than Etty Hillesum, the young Holocaust victim: "Living and dying, sorrow and joy, the blisters on my feet and the jasmine behind the house, the persecution, the unspeakable horrors – it is all as one in me, and I accept it all as one whole and begin to grasp it better of only for myself, without being able to explain to anyone else how it all hangs together... Ultimately, we have just one moral duty: to reclaim larger areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and reflect it toward others. And more peace there is in us, the more peace there will be in our troubled world."
I wish we can each find a little more of that peace this Christmas, this most wonderful time of the year. I hope we can each find ways to connect with our better selfs and each other this Christmas, this wonderful time of the year. Whatever sadness, anger, or confusion reside in our souls, I hope we transform it together into openness, strength and determination to create a safer, tolerant and peaceful world. I hope, we can each slow down this Christmas, do less and feel more, practice compassion to all living beings and practice gratitude for all the things we have – a roof, heat, water, clothes, comfort food, lights, lovable people, healthy bodies, pets in our feet, a glass of hot wine in our hands, a blanket, a couch, a good book...
                                             Merry Christmas!





Fruitcake Rum Balls

Ingredients:

 1 1/2 cups ground almonds
6 tbsp icing sugar
1 cup vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (Mr.Christie's Nilla vanilla wafers)
2/4 cup chopped dried or glacé cherries
1/3 cup chopped candied fruits (pineapple, mango)
60 gr. marzipan, torn in small pieces
2/4 cup dark rum


Directions:

In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp of the ground almonds with icing sugar. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, stir together remaining ground almonds, the cookie crumbs, cherries, mixed candied fruits and marzipan. Stir in rum; press into dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm enough to roll out, about 15 minutes.
Roll by rounding 1 tsp into balls. Arrange on waxed baking sheet; refrigerate until firm. Roll balls in icing sugar mixture.



 Sharing with  Home Sweet Home

The Most Wonderful Time


Only three sleeps until Christmas! I love this time of year – the snow, the lights, the smell of baking, the Christmas tree, my birthday, the Christmas movies, the music...  
While the voice of Andy Williams affirms on the radio that this is the most wonderful time of the year, my news feed on my phone is full of images of frightened children trying to escape from bombs, bodies of humans lying crushed on the ground in a Christmas market, a man shooting another man in a house of ART... The world is breaking my heart. This is the most wonderful and the most vulnerable time of the year right here. I cannot help but think of the millions and millions of people going through assorted suffering, despair and injustice as I sit comfortably, in my warm, decorated home, writing blissfully away. Sadness and joy are equally feeding my soul. And a strange sense of irresponsibility slowly nests into my consciousness if I choose to only share the wonderful side of my simple Christmas and overlook the news of sorrows in the world. I know this world of ours has never been perfect or sensible. But we, people, still make it increasingly divisive. We are easily destroying a healthy morality system and code of conduct that shows us how to separate right from wrong. We carelessly ignore the proven connection of the butterfly effect, that even the smallest of occurrences, such as the flutter of a butterfly's wings, can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world. We, people, still perform activities that are tremendously destructive toward nature and humanity.....
How to find holiness in the messiness of this confusing world? How to survive my tears through the heartbreaking agony of parents whose children are killed before their eyes? How to sustain belief in ideals and human progress when civic values, freedom and rights are threatened? How to deal with my anger and hopelessness?
The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the only possible answer to all these questions has been given to me and repeated time after time, after time, in one form or another:

"And thought I have the gift of prophecy and understanding all mysteries and all knowledge,
and thought I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not love,
I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,
and  though I give my body to be burned and have not love,
it profith me nothing.
Love suffereth long and is kind.
Love envieth not.
Love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doeth not behave itself unseemly,
Seeketh not her own.
Is not easily provoked.
Thinketh no evil.
Rejoiceth not in inequity, but rejoiceth in the truth.
Beareth all things.
Believeth all things.
Hopeth all things.
Endureth all things.
Love never fails.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things. But now abideth faith, hope, love... these three. But the greatest of these is LOVE."
                                                                                                                                                                    1 Corinthians 13 

I know, the world does not need my opinion on everything. But the world, I believe, desperately needs my genuine empathy. My hope. My grace. My generosity. My acceptance. The world needs from me to do my job and to do it with passion. The world needs my contribution and accountability. My benevolence. My gratitude. My open heart. My love.  Most of all, the world needs my awareness and peaceful mind. No one can say it better than Etty Hillesum, the young Holocaust victim: "Living and dying, sorrow and joy, the blisters on my feet and the jasmine behind the house, the persecution, the unspeakable horrors – it is all as one in me, and I accept it all as one whole and begin to grasp it better of only for myself, without being able to explain to anyone else how it all hangs together... Ultimately, we have just one moral duty: to reclaim larger areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and reflect it toward others. And more peace there is in us, the more peace there will be in our troubled world."
I wish we can each find a little more of that peace this Christmas, this most wonderful time of the year. I hope we can each find ways to connect with our better selfs and each other this Christmas, this wonderful time of the year. Whatever sadness, anger, or confusion reside in our souls, I hope we transform it together into openness, strength and determination to create a safer, tolerant and peaceful world. I hope, we can each slow down this Christmas, do less and feel more, practice compassion to all living beings and practice gratitude for all the things we have – a roof, heat, water, clothes, comfort food, lights, lovable people, healthy bodies, pets in our feet, a glass of hot wine in our hands, a blanket, a couch, a good book...
                                             Merry Christmas!





Fruitcake Rum Balls

Ingredients:

 1 1/2 cups ground almonds
6 tbsp icing sugar
1 cup vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (Mr.Christie's Nilla vanilla wafers)
2/4 cup chopped dried or glacé cherries
1/3 cup chopped candied fruits (pineapple, mango)
60 gr. marzipan, torn in small pieces
2/4 cup dark rum


Directions:

In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp of the ground almonds with icing sugar. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, stir together remaining ground almonds, the cookie crumbs, cherries, mixed candied fruits and marzipan. Stir in rum; press into dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm enough to roll out, about 15 minutes.
Roll by rounding 1 tsp into balls. Arrange on waxed baking sheet; refrigerate until firm. Roll balls in icing sugar mixture.



 Sharing with  Home Sweet Home
Read more »


The true spirit of Christmas  lies in this real story that has been circulating through media since October. Yes, it is a story that unfolds in the world much like a movie comes to life – so real and touching that it makes your heart flutter of admiration, tears of emotion burn your face, and your faith in the goodness of humankind grows stronger as a stem in the dust...
Evan is seven year old boy who has been diagnosed with brain cancer at just two-years-old. When in early fall his condition worsens, doctors advise the family "to celebrate Christmas early this year." Evan's mother shares with family and friends the devastating prospect of Evan not making it to Christmas. The mother's cousin enthusiastically starts a Facebook page to encourage people not to donate money, but rather empathy and involvement in organizing one last Christmas celebration for Evan in October. And it all begins! 
The dwellers of the town of St. George leave their own little bubbles of indifference and start decorating their houses with Christmas lights. Within days, the whole town is lit up, some houses with signs saying "Merry Christmas Evan." Firefighters offer to take the boy for a ride on a fire truck around the festive town. Then, an event coordinator at the local city council takes the initiative to organize a Santa Claus parade in October. By the next morning, 6 000 people sign up for the parade. 7 000 come – more than triple the small population of St. George Town, an hour drive from Toronto. The press cap the parade at 25 different floats, including, of course, the most important one with Santa, his reindeers and the sleigh on which Evan gets a ride. A special-effects company donates a machine that would make artificial snow at 17 degree weather in October. Locals brew hot chocolate and bake cookies to pass to the crowd. "Mobilization on incredible scale," people share... for one last Christmas of a sick child.
Evan died a few days ago (on Dec. 6) The media still reflects on everything around him. It is a pity that I learned too late! Yes, my family would have gone to the parade had we discovered earlier. I'm not always good at organization, but I am the Queen of participation and moral support. I strongly believe that participation is important. Life, indeed, is not for spectating, but for participating. We should teach our children and encourage them from an early age to participate. I always like the idea of sending every child home with a ribbon "Participant" after each competition, conference and event. Because the widespread apathy in our society creates a fertile ground for the utter impoverishment of the human soul.
However, my thoughts are in fact about enthusiasm and an inspiring spirit. If someone tells you that "nothing happens with one naked enthusiasm", do not believe them! History proves that nothing great has happened without it! And this last Christmas for Evan happens as a result only of the spiritual uplift of mankind and the sincere human concern for the welfare of others. 
Christmas stories are essential to the celebration of Christmas. They are a way for us to connect to our cultural identity, to reflect on our core values and to glimpse a better world, one that observes the message of peace on earth, goodwill to men and compassion to one another. So I am encouraging you to tell Evan's story to your children, friends and acquaintances. It is important for all of us to know that good films can happen in real life, that we all posses the power to make movies comes to life. And it is all possible when we choose to get involved, to participate in our lives and in the lives of those who need us most. A wise mind once said that if you can give your son or daughter one gift, let it be - enthusiasm.
Yes, there is pain, sickness and death in the story, but more than anything it is brimming with love, hope, connectedness, a sense of belonging, humanity, and LIFE. All for the same reasons that we decorate Christmas trees, sing Christmas songs and light candles in churches. But as my son's speaking Santa toy remind us, let's never forget that "The Magic Of Christmas Lies In Your Heart!"
One thing is clear: we, people are the light, we are the tree, we are the church. Our Christmases and our lives, similar to movies or not, happen because of us – when we choose to participate and never lose our enthusiasm, "the sustaining power of all great actions."
This Christmas, dear friends, keep your spirit high and be ready to participate.







 These photos are taken while my husband is preparing a traditional Bulgarian pumpkin pie most often made during Christmas time. The recipe can be found here



Merry Christmas to you all! 

A Christmas Story


The true spirit of Christmas  lies in this real story that has been circulating through media since October. Yes, it is a story that unfolds in the world much like a movie comes to life – so real and touching that it makes your heart flutter of admiration, tears of emotion burn your face, and your faith in the goodness of humankind grows stronger as a stem in the dust...
Evan is seven year old boy who has been diagnosed with brain cancer at just two-years-old. When in early fall his condition worsens, doctors advise the family "to celebrate Christmas early this year." Evan's mother shares with family and friends the devastating prospect of Evan not making it to Christmas. The mother's cousin enthusiastically starts a Facebook page to encourage people not to donate money, but rather empathy and involvement in organizing one last Christmas celebration for Evan in October. And it all begins! 
The dwellers of the town of St. George leave their own little bubbles of indifference and start decorating their houses with Christmas lights. Within days, the whole town is lit up, some houses with signs saying "Merry Christmas Evan." Firefighters offer to take the boy for a ride on a fire truck around the festive town. Then, an event coordinator at the local city council takes the initiative to organize a Santa Claus parade in October. By the next morning, 6 000 people sign up for the parade. 7 000 come – more than triple the small population of St. George Town, an hour drive from Toronto. The press cap the parade at 25 different floats, including, of course, the most important one with Santa, his reindeers and the sleigh on which Evan gets a ride. A special-effects company donates a machine that would make artificial snow at 17 degree weather in October. Locals brew hot chocolate and bake cookies to pass to the crowd. "Mobilization on incredible scale," people share... for one last Christmas of a sick child.
Evan died a few days ago (on Dec. 6) The media still reflects on everything around him. It is a pity that I learned too late! Yes, my family would have gone to the parade had we discovered earlier. I'm not always good at organization, but I am the Queen of participation and moral support. I strongly believe that participation is important. Life, indeed, is not for spectating, but for participating. We should teach our children and encourage them from an early age to participate. I always like the idea of sending every child home with a ribbon "Participant" after each competition, conference and event. Because the widespread apathy in our society creates a fertile ground for the utter impoverishment of the human soul.
However, my thoughts are in fact about enthusiasm and an inspiring spirit. If someone tells you that "nothing happens with one naked enthusiasm", do not believe them! History proves that nothing great has happened without it! And this last Christmas for Evan happens as a result only of the spiritual uplift of mankind and the sincere human concern for the welfare of others. 
Christmas stories are essential to the celebration of Christmas. They are a way for us to connect to our cultural identity, to reflect on our core values and to glimpse a better world, one that observes the message of peace on earth, goodwill to men and compassion to one another. So I am encouraging you to tell Evan's story to your children, friends and acquaintances. It is important for all of us to know that good films can happen in real life, that we all posses the power to make movies comes to life. And it is all possible when we choose to get involved, to participate in our lives and in the lives of those who need us most. A wise mind once said that if you can give your son or daughter one gift, let it be - enthusiasm.
Yes, there is pain, sickness and death in the story, but more than anything it is brimming with love, hope, connectedness, a sense of belonging, humanity, and LIFE. All for the same reasons that we decorate Christmas trees, sing Christmas songs and light candles in churches. But as my son's speaking Santa toy remind us, let's never forget that "The Magic Of Christmas Lies In Your Heart!"
One thing is clear: we, people are the light, we are the tree, we are the church. Our Christmases and our lives, similar to movies or not, happen because of us – when we choose to participate and never lose our enthusiasm, "the sustaining power of all great actions."
This Christmas, dear friends, keep your spirit high and be ready to participate.







 These photos are taken while my husband is preparing a traditional Bulgarian pumpkin pie most often made during Christmas time. The recipe can be found here



Merry Christmas to you all! 

Read more »


December
Cold, but cozy. Festive and delicious. Full of simple living and celebrations. My December...
The jazzy Christmas melodies of Chris Botti's trumpet come to life while the pleasant smell of ginger, oranges and cinnamon travels from the kitchen to the dining room only to settle into my nose and slowly let my mind drift back to good memories...
I am glad, perhaps even happy, at this very moment...
Life seems full – sticky and flavourful as the chocolate cookie dough in my hands. Life seems to be the most involved factory right now, assembling a tiny army of small joys and anticipations. My mind is incubating ideas while my hands are arranging bundles of evergreens on a grapevine wreath frame. I feel wise (O. Henry's The Gift of the Maggi kind of wise) and my heart is overflowing with passion, a happy worker in the factory. Two very special helpers, one – tall, handsome and smart, the other – hungry, also handsome and excited make everything easy, and meaningful, and bright and awesome... The cookies are little burnt and the wreath is a little unrefined. But regardless, they sure make the spirit high and sure smell a lot like Christmas.
And that smells a lot like.... well, LIFE. The one that resides in the beauty of imperfection and shines in the shimmering little moments of blissfulness.

Sharing with Wow Us Wednesday / Come As You Are / Share Your Style

Christmas Factory


December
Cold, but cozy. Festive and delicious. Full of simple living and celebrations. My December...
The jazzy Christmas melodies of Chris Botti's trumpet come to life while the pleasant smell of ginger, oranges and cinnamon travels from the kitchen to the dining room only to settle into my nose and slowly let my mind drift back to good memories...
I am glad, perhaps even happy, at this very moment...
Life seems full – sticky and flavourful as the chocolate cookie dough in my hands. Life seems to be the most involved factory right now, assembling a tiny army of small joys and anticipations. My mind is incubating ideas while my hands are arranging bundles of evergreens on a grapevine wreath frame. I feel wise (O. Henry's The Gift of the Maggi kind of wise) and my heart is overflowing with passion, a happy worker in the factory. Two very special helpers, one – tall, handsome and smart, the other – hungry, also handsome and excited make everything easy, and meaningful, and bright and awesome... The cookies are little burnt and the wreath is a little unrefined. But regardless, they sure make the spirit high and sure smell a lot like Christmas.
And that smells a lot like.... well, LIFE. The one that resides in the beauty of imperfection and shines in the shimmering little moments of blissfulness.

Sharing with Wow Us Wednesday / Come As You Are / Share Your Style

Read more »

 Seven days to Christmas! 
And even though we have not put up our Christmas tree yet, (yes, I know), I am full of Christmas spirit. As I am writing this note, the very talented trumpeter Chris Botti is bringing about a peaceful emotion of deep contentment to the heart with his jazzy tracks of Christmas comfort and joy. The smell of orange and cinnamon from the quietly simmering apple cider in the kitchen is filling the entire home with Christmas. A chocolate truffle is melting into a puddle of goodness in the middle of my mouth...  

 December so far has brought some beautiful moments in life!
It started with a doorbell ring of the mailman delivering a complimentary copy of the winter issue of Bella Grace Magazine. This volume is truly inspiring and I am happy to be a part of it again, thanks to Stampington & Company. If you haven't read it yet, I think you lost an opportunity to enrich your soul with beautiful images and thought-provoking narratives. This publication makes a wonderful holiday gift to someone who enjoys the magic of ordinary things.

I visited Irene in a nursing home. She is an ill, immobile, eighty-year-old woman I am glad to know by a dear friend of mine who volunteers in the institution. Irene moved to Canada from England as a young nurse; she is single and doesn't have any relatives around. I enjoy the time I spend with her. She has such a strong spirit and, of course, that typical British sense of humor that inspires me and teaches me how to gracefully meet my own life's adversities and hardships. With her polished nails in pink, bright blue eyes and infectious smile, she is an epitome of a human being who ages as a cathedral. She reminds me of my grandma who lives an ocean away...

December also held that delightful afternoon I spent at the wreath making gathering hosted by the lovely Aviva and Jessica from Sweet Gale Gardens. Both girls created a cozy atmosphere in Aviva's house where under the tunes of A Charlie Brown Christmas, together with fellow local flower lovers, I crafted a dried flower wreath that adorns the living room. Sweet Gale Gardens is a small, urban farm in the heart of Toronto focused on sustainably grown cut flowers.  

Then came the snow - new, soft, and clean- it coveted the city for one night. The delicate beauty of fresh untouched snow brings back a little bit of the magic we all felt as children. Sometimes such snowfall is all you need to get into the holiday spirit, it gets your bones excited about everything the season brings: like the last sequential date for this century... which happened to be my birthday. I was blessed with one truly special day-from the amazing gingerbread heart cookies my 3-year-old nephew decorated especially for me, through the cakes my sister and my mom made to celebrate the occasion, the thoughtful gift my son chose for me, "The Signature of All Things" by Elizabeth Gilbert to the unforgettable dinner with friends at one of my favorite restaurants, love was tangible and I am immensely thankful!

Today, December with its gloomy sky and the peaceful calm of its mist finally put me in a baking sort of mood. I opened an old recipe journal, but instead of the traditional snowball cookies that kick off the Holiday baking every year, I decided to embrace a new "adventure" and try something different. I rarely make bonbons, much less for Christmas, so I grabbed the idea of no-bake truffles and tried to incorporate what I found in the pantry. Chocolate, cocoa powder, chopped almond, and shredded coconut, rolled into not so perfect walnut-sized balls by my humble hands. I put the candies in old glasses, covered the top with fabric and tied it with hemp yarn. I wrote the recipe on a tag and my giving gifts were ready! (find the recipe here).


There is joy, heart lifted in kindness, humility, and wonder. There is beauty, love, and generosity. There's a tingly Christmassy feeling in the air. And there will be more - December is not even at its end.
And if you haven't brought some of this old-fashioned holiday spirit into your life, my simple list of how to be full of it goes pretty much like this:

* Return your holiday books to the shelves and read the classic Christmas stories and poems.
* Listen to Christmas music and sing out loud the lyrics. 
* Send out Holiday cards with handwritten messages. 
* Join up with family and friends (call relatives long-distance, host a dinner)
* Make a wreath and hang it somewhere in your house (find a holiday workshop and take part).
* Cut down your own Christmas tree and decorate it with handmade or vintage ornaments. Breathe in the smell of real evergreen. 
* Decorate your home if you feel like doing it; if not- the simple prettiness of a single pine branch in a vintage bottle would be enough.  
* Watch some great Christmas movies while sipping hot chocolate or mulled wine. 
* Stare into a cracking fire so it warms your eyes and heart. 
* Prepare and give homemade/edible gifts. 
* Donate some of your time to those in need.
* Simmer potpourri of orange, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla to make your home smell warm and cozy.
* Bake cookies, scones, pies, shtolen, bread, fruit cakes and all sort of holiday recipes, old & new. 
* If there is snowfall, take a walk into the woods, make snow angels.
* Watch your dog enjoy the mounds of snow. 
* Go family skating.  
* Visit Christmas Markets - those European type of markets where Christmas renews itself by reaching into forgotten childhood memories. 
* Do a tradition that you might have. If you do not have a tradition, this year is the time to make one.
* Be a great example of enthusiasm and love to your children. 
* Be present and pay attention to miracles.
* Create your own miracle. 




Merry Christmas to you and yours! 




Sharing with Home Sweet Home





Christmassy


 Seven days to Christmas! 
And even though we have not put up our Christmas tree yet, (yes, I know), I am full of Christmas spirit. As I am writing this note, the very talented trumpeter Chris Botti is bringing about a peaceful emotion of deep contentment to the heart with his jazzy tracks of Christmas comfort and joy. The smell of orange and cinnamon from the quietly simmering apple cider in the kitchen is filling the entire home with Christmas. A chocolate truffle is melting into a puddle of goodness in the middle of my mouth...  

 December so far has brought some beautiful moments in life!
It started with a doorbell ring of the mailman delivering a complimentary copy of the winter issue of Bella Grace Magazine. This volume is truly inspiring and I am happy to be a part of it again, thanks to Stampington & Company. If you haven't read it yet, I think you lost an opportunity to enrich your soul with beautiful images and thought-provoking narratives. This publication makes a wonderful holiday gift to someone who enjoys the magic of ordinary things.

I visited Irene in a nursing home. She is an ill, immobile, eighty-year-old woman I am glad to know by a dear friend of mine who volunteers in the institution. Irene moved to Canada from England as a young nurse; she is single and doesn't have any relatives around. I enjoy the time I spend with her. She has such a strong spirit and, of course, that typical British sense of humor that inspires me and teaches me how to gracefully meet my own life's adversities and hardships. With her polished nails in pink, bright blue eyes and infectious smile, she is an epitome of a human being who ages as a cathedral. She reminds me of my grandma who lives an ocean away...

December also held that delightful afternoon I spent at the wreath making gathering hosted by the lovely Aviva and Jessica from Sweet Gale Gardens. Both girls created a cozy atmosphere in Aviva's house where under the tunes of A Charlie Brown Christmas, together with fellow local flower lovers, I crafted a dried flower wreath that adorns the living room. Sweet Gale Gardens is a small, urban farm in the heart of Toronto focused on sustainably grown cut flowers.  

Then came the snow - new, soft, and clean- it coveted the city for one night. The delicate beauty of fresh untouched snow brings back a little bit of the magic we all felt as children. Sometimes such snowfall is all you need to get into the holiday spirit, it gets your bones excited about everything the season brings: like the last sequential date for this century... which happened to be my birthday. I was blessed with one truly special day-from the amazing gingerbread heart cookies my 3-year-old nephew decorated especially for me, through the cakes my sister and my mom made to celebrate the occasion, the thoughtful gift my son chose for me, "The Signature of All Things" by Elizabeth Gilbert to the unforgettable dinner with friends at one of my favorite restaurants, love was tangible and I am immensely thankful!

Today, December with its gloomy sky and the peaceful calm of its mist finally put me in a baking sort of mood. I opened an old recipe journal, but instead of the traditional snowball cookies that kick off the Holiday baking every year, I decided to embrace a new "adventure" and try something different. I rarely make bonbons, much less for Christmas, so I grabbed the idea of no-bake truffles and tried to incorporate what I found in the pantry. Chocolate, cocoa powder, chopped almond, and shredded coconut, rolled into not so perfect walnut-sized balls by my humble hands. I put the candies in old glasses, covered the top with fabric and tied it with hemp yarn. I wrote the recipe on a tag and my giving gifts were ready! (find the recipe here).


There is joy, heart lifted in kindness, humility, and wonder. There is beauty, love, and generosity. There's a tingly Christmassy feeling in the air. And there will be more - December is not even at its end.
And if you haven't brought some of this old-fashioned holiday spirit into your life, my simple list of how to be full of it goes pretty much like this:

* Return your holiday books to the shelves and read the classic Christmas stories and poems.
* Listen to Christmas music and sing out loud the lyrics. 
* Send out Holiday cards with handwritten messages. 
* Join up with family and friends (call relatives long-distance, host a dinner)
* Make a wreath and hang it somewhere in your house (find a holiday workshop and take part).
* Cut down your own Christmas tree and decorate it with handmade or vintage ornaments. Breathe in the smell of real evergreen. 
* Decorate your home if you feel like doing it; if not- the simple prettiness of a single pine branch in a vintage bottle would be enough.  
* Watch some great Christmas movies while sipping hot chocolate or mulled wine. 
* Stare into a cracking fire so it warms your eyes and heart. 
* Prepare and give homemade/edible gifts. 
* Donate some of your time to those in need.
* Simmer potpourri of orange, cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla to make your home smell warm and cozy.
* Bake cookies, scones, pies, shtolen, bread, fruit cakes and all sort of holiday recipes, old & new. 
* If there is snowfall, take a walk into the woods, make snow angels.
* Watch your dog enjoy the mounds of snow. 
* Go family skating.  
* Visit Christmas Markets - those European type of markets where Christmas renews itself by reaching into forgotten childhood memories. 
* Do a tradition that you might have. If you do not have a tradition, this year is the time to make one.
* Be a great example of enthusiasm and love to your children. 
* Be present and pay attention to miracles.
* Create your own miracle. 




Merry Christmas to you and yours! 




Sharing with Home Sweet Home





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The first big snowfall of the season come and so with it the Santa Claus parade welcomed the nice old man in town. The local radio station immediately switched to its Christmas music playlist, gently reminding me of what Bing Crosby (and I) is dreaming about. The neighbours already have their Christmas lights lit and flyers for Holiday deals and magazines full of magical scenes of happy families and perfect Christmas sets clutter the letterbox every day. The cranberry bliss bars and snowman cookies are smiling at me through the Starbucks window while the stores are packed with Christmas decor since the day after Halloween. Bloggers are eagerly sharing Christmas crafts and recipes and my email box will soon explode from offers for Holiday events happening all over the country...   
In other words, the Holiday Hustle is officially under way and whether we are ready or not, Christmas is coming. 
It is, in fact, my favourite time of the year, "the most wonderful time of the year, the hap-happiest season of all..." And it's not because of all the above mentioned reasons which are more likely to cause me stress and strive for the best table setting, the best dinner, the best gifts... a la Martha Stuart sort of celebration. No! I love this time of year because despite the general consumerism and corporate pressure to "buy" the perfect Christmas, I know that the Holiday season is all about giving, being with loved ones, helping the less fortunate, sharing love, warmth, big hugs, family time, cozy company right when we need it most. I love this time of year because it makes me take a deep breath, brew a cup of my favourite coffee, slow down and pay attention to what brings me joy and what matters most in my life. I don't always have a plan. But I don't always need one. Sometimes I just need to breath, trust and stop obsessing over doing it all and falling pray to perfectionism, comparison, hectic pace, shopping madness. Whatever I get done will be more than enough. Yes, I will bake the most delicious Christmas cookies, I will weave the most beautiful Christmas wreath, I will write the most heartwarming messages on the Christmas cards, I will cook for my friends and family and set a beautiful Christmas table, I will speak hours on the phone with my mom, sister and little nephew on the other side of the globe, I will visit Irene (who doesn't have a family) in the retirement home, I will attend parties and Christmas markets, I will read and sing carols...
But I am clearly doing that out of a desire for genuine connection with myself and others rather then to look good or out of the sense of obligation. Holiday seasons should give us great breaks and great times. It should be filled with simple quiet moments and little chances to unwind, relax and communicate our core values. We need to focus our energy on enjoying the people in our lives and feasting on each other's touch and treasured thoughts. We may beautifully wrap the gift of kindness, faith, forgiveness, hope and gratitude and gift ourselves with it before giving it to others...
After all, I might actually have plan to help me celebrate this holiday season. I might even have a list to follow this Christmas. Perhaps these "items" I can keep on my list all year long.

There is freedom and calm in simplicity.
And there is calm during the storm.  




Thank you to all of you who commented on my Christmas Cards here on the blog and on Sylvia's Simple Life Facebook Page. Thank you to all of you who share my Etsy shop with your friends and readers. Your support is greatly appreciated.
A set of five of my cards is ready to be sent to Jane from Blondie's Journal as she is the winner of the giveaway.



Sharing with What's It Wednesday/ Home Sweet Home/ Say G'Day


Calm During the Storm

The first big snowfall of the season come and so with it the Santa Claus parade welcomed the nice old man in town. The local radio station immediately switched to its Christmas music playlist, gently reminding me of what Bing Crosby (and I) is dreaming about. The neighbours already have their Christmas lights lit and flyers for Holiday deals and magazines full of magical scenes of happy families and perfect Christmas sets clutter the letterbox every day. The cranberry bliss bars and snowman cookies are smiling at me through the Starbucks window while the stores are packed with Christmas decor since the day after Halloween. Bloggers are eagerly sharing Christmas crafts and recipes and my email box will soon explode from offers for Holiday events happening all over the country...   
In other words, the Holiday Hustle is officially under way and whether we are ready or not, Christmas is coming. 
It is, in fact, my favourite time of the year, "the most wonderful time of the year, the hap-happiest season of all..." And it's not because of all the above mentioned reasons which are more likely to cause me stress and strive for the best table setting, the best dinner, the best gifts... a la Martha Stuart sort of celebration. No! I love this time of year because despite the general consumerism and corporate pressure to "buy" the perfect Christmas, I know that the Holiday season is all about giving, being with loved ones, helping the less fortunate, sharing love, warmth, big hugs, family time, cozy company right when we need it most. I love this time of year because it makes me take a deep breath, brew a cup of my favourite coffee, slow down and pay attention to what brings me joy and what matters most in my life. I don't always have a plan. But I don't always need one. Sometimes I just need to breath, trust and stop obsessing over doing it all and falling pray to perfectionism, comparison, hectic pace, shopping madness. Whatever I get done will be more than enough. Yes, I will bake the most delicious Christmas cookies, I will weave the most beautiful Christmas wreath, I will write the most heartwarming messages on the Christmas cards, I will cook for my friends and family and set a beautiful Christmas table, I will speak hours on the phone with my mom, sister and little nephew on the other side of the globe, I will visit Irene (who doesn't have a family) in the retirement home, I will attend parties and Christmas markets, I will read and sing carols...
But I am clearly doing that out of a desire for genuine connection with myself and others rather then to look good or out of the sense of obligation. Holiday seasons should give us great breaks and great times. It should be filled with simple quiet moments and little chances to unwind, relax and communicate our core values. We need to focus our energy on enjoying the people in our lives and feasting on each other's touch and treasured thoughts. We may beautifully wrap the gift of kindness, faith, forgiveness, hope and gratitude and gift ourselves with it before giving it to others...
After all, I might actually have plan to help me celebrate this holiday season. I might even have a list to follow this Christmas. Perhaps these "items" I can keep on my list all year long.

There is freedom and calm in simplicity.
And there is calm during the storm.  




Thank you to all of you who commented on my Christmas Cards here on the blog and on Sylvia's Simple Life Facebook Page. Thank you to all of you who share my Etsy shop with your friends and readers. Your support is greatly appreciated.
A set of five of my cards is ready to be sent to Jane from Blondie's Journal as she is the winner of the giveaway.



Sharing with What's It Wednesday/ Home Sweet Home/ Say G'Day


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