I love distinct seasons. Spring blooms, summer sun, autumn colours, and winter chills.

Here it hardly snows, and I do miss that immensely, but there is a very Christmassy feel around here. The stores along Government Street put up their Christmas displays. The city (or somebody) strings soft white lights in the trees and on the Victorian lamp posts. Advent calendars start popping up.

There's a chill in the air, and it's not an autumn chill ... it's definitely that of winter. A little bit bitter, but cozy if you're wearing a warm sweater or sweatshirt decorated with snowmen, snowflakes, or ice skaters. When you settle into a plush armchair for a respite from the cold, notebook or textbook or novel in your lap, you look out the window and watch the world pass by, people bundled up in coats of high fashion or flannel shirts and woolen hats. You sip a warm drink and smile as the warmth fills you from head to toe.

As the days go by, you get your shopping done; you put up decorations; you listen to music like Josh Groban's new Christmas CD, Noel. You wrap presents, drink hot apple cider, and laugh until your stomach hurts with friends and family. You watch movies that you are never too old to watch. You bake sugar cookies. You try out festive recipes and enjoy the triumphs ... and giggle and order pizza after a failure.

Spring is a delight. Summer is fun. Autumn is a time for being chased by squirrels and getting back to work or school, starting new hobbies and making new friends.

Winter, though ... winter warms my heart. I enjoy everything about it. I even enjoy the holiday themes that websites like Amazon use, and the holiday Starbucks to-go cups.

One of the things that I really look forward to every year is when the holiday Archie comics come out. Most of the stories have similar storylines, year after year, but I love them every time: Jingles, Santa's non-conformist elf, wreaking some well-meaning havoc; Archie and his friends bringing a lonely soul some holiday joy; Veronica realizing the true meaning of Christmas; even storylines that seem so flippant but are just so delightful, like wrapping presents and sometimes even getting the presents mixed up.

I also can't wait to settle in with movies like The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, The Night Before Christmas, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. I've been watching them all for years, although this will be the first year for a while that I've watched The Night Before Christmas: I had watched it on TV, and couldn't find it after we moved a few years back.

How about you? What are your favourite holiday traditions? What movies do you like watching at this time of year?

So there I was, sitting in the middle of the living room floor with five strings of lights, one dismantled Charlie Brown tree, and a whack of miscellaneous doodads. What's a girl to do?

Mum was home by this point, so I rushed her in the door, past the living room, and into my bedroom. I sat her down on the bed, took her order for tea and crumpets, and gave her a stack of papers to go through to keep herself busy for an hour or two. Her refreshments delivered, I got back to the matter at hand.

I began with the lights. At first glance, they were a tangled mess ...

( See? )

... but then I realized that it wasn't that bad at all. In fact, we were smart last year (or was it the year before?). Someone ridiculously clever had tied two of the strings together with red ribbon. So I plopped my butt down on the floor and began to pick at the knots.

Four knots and several red fingers later, I finished the job with scissors.

No sooner had I fixed that, than another dilemma took its place. Coloured lights over the window and white lights in the kitchen? Vice versa? Icicle lights on the window and coloured lights in the kitchen? No lights in the kitchen?

I nearly stomped into the bedroom to whine that I couldn't do it alone. But my Scottish stubborn streak won. I used thumbtacks to make holes in the wall and screwed in the shiny golden hooks (and couldn't help noticing how much easier it was than the same task last year -- I grew again) and chose which lights went where through trial and error (and a bit of muttering and glaring). The verdict? White lights above the window and coloured lights to brighten up the kitchen/dining room area.

( Twinkly lights. )

Next up, the tree. It's three feet high and as cute as can be. Not only that, but despite being artificial, it left needles on the carpet! Just like a real tree, I thought, grinning. No gorgeous pine scent, but at least I had to vacuum. Add another strand of lights, switch the candles around, put up a few old Christmas cards and some adorable snowmen (and snow-women), and we had Holiday Central.

( Holiday Central )

I won't reiterate my Mum's reaction. You can read it for yourself here. :) As for me, the tree is a little bit wobbly; I didn't get a chance to clean up the kitchen; and I hadn't had time to wrap her presents to sit them under the tree. But it's beautiful because it's ours. It feels like Christmas, because it's our winter wonderland.

One of the best gifts you can give is the gift of time. Whether it's a tin of cookies you baked, or taking someone to a craft fair, it can't get much better. Merry Christmas, everyone!

The only mud puddles around here are from the rain now, not our freak snowfall. Every sign of it has all but disappeared. Still, though, I'm sitting in a winter wonderland. How, you ask? Well, I could send you to read this entry but maybe you've had a long day, and maybe you just want to curl up by the fire, but instead you're here, reading this ... so I won't send you away (although I highly recommend reading that entry anyway).

A few days ago, I said to you:

I also pulled some Christmas decorations from boxes that she thinks are somewhere in a locker, and I'm going to send her out to do her last-minute Christmas shopping and when she gets home, our apartment will be transformed into a winter wonderland. Now, I just have to keep it a secret ... I'm the worst at hiding that sort of thing from her. I keep wanting to give her hints. But I will succeed. I will!

And so I did. Not only that, but I also remembered to take pictures! I'll put them up tomorrow, but tonight, words are my tool of choice. We went out on the same bus downtown and then split up: I to a second-hand bookstore, she to a stationery store. I clambered up the narrow steps and smiled at the younger boy who brushed past me on his way down. I couldn't remember at all who wrote the books I was looking for (refer to this if you want to know which ones), and I was about to go and ask someone for help when one of them kindly found me! I swear, he was psychic ...

...

"Do you need help finding anything?" he said with a jolly tone. He was in his early to mid-twenties, with glasses perched on a beaky nose. The fluorescent light cast highlights in his sandy hair.

"Yes," I said. "Do you know who wrote [title omitted]?"

He rolled his eyes towards the ceiling, his lips pursed. "[Author omitted], I think."

I was standing right in front of it. Who knew? Five more seconds, and I might've blindly run my fingers over it. "I thought so. Oh, do you know --"

"Have you read this one?" Pointing to another by the same author, he grinned suddenly. "It's the most depressing book!"

I laughed. "Not yet, but I've heard that before."

"So what was the other one?"

"[Title omitted]."

"I don't know. I should, but I don't. I'll have to look it up."

As he toddled off to the computer and asked his colleague if she knew who wrote it, I turned back to the classics before me. And sighed. There were so many ... and I'd read so few. I had so much time to make up for.

Ooh, Madam Bovary. I'd heard of that. I ran my finger down the spine.

"[Author omitted]."

Of course. I should've written it down on a sticky note before I left, but chances were I would've lost it en route. Thank heaven for handy dandy geeky, cute bookstore elves.

Like the last book, I didn't get a chance to find it myself. Instead, he pointed it out for me, grinned, and left me to sniff at them in private. That step was important. A book, no matter how beloved, wouldn't be appreciated for its full glory if it made her sneeze.

I sniffed at the thicker one once. Twice. Picked up the Penguin version of it, sniffed. Less of a sneeze factor. I had made my conquest.

I should come here more often, I thought.

...

... and the rest of the day went just as perfectly. I walked home (with three bags), stopped to pick up groceries (add one more), went to the pharmacy to buy lights and candles (add the final bag) and took a pit stop at the local bookstore/cafe, sipping a chai latte and chatting to our friend (the chai latte maker), who properly observed upon my entrance that I was "devoid of one mum".

After that, I didn't sit down for three or four hours. Mum wasn't home yet, so I searched some boxes for anything else I could find. All in all, my inventory ended up as thus:

• nine Christmas tealights (which I bought on the way home)
  
• five snowmen
  
• two miniature Christmas books
  
• two old Christmas cards
  
• two strings of white lights
  
• one string of icicle lights
  
• one string of coloured lights (see above)
  
• one penguin puzzle
  
• one batch of cute things that you stick on the window
  
• one Charlie Brown tree
  
• one mini-string of coloured lights for CB tree

So I sprinkled a little dust here, a little dust there, and poof! Wonderland arose from the mist!

Just how it did will be told tomorrow. This little elf needs her sleep.

I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Hot Chocolate, particularly when it involves chile powder a la Chocolat.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
Depended on the present. Big-ticket items, so to speak, like Barbie mini-vans, were carefully situated under the tree so as to be immediately noticed upon gallumphing into the room. However, the year that he returned Penny, my sweet little blue doll, she was wrapped with string and brown paper.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Both. I like white lights outside, coloured lights inside and on the tree.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Only in my dreams. ;)

5. When do you put your decorations up?
I don't think we've ever put them up at the same time every year, but my grandparents always put the tree up on December 18th, in honour of my great-aunt.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
I worship mashed potatoes.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
Sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor, literally surrounded by sugar cookies.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
'Truth'? What 'truth'? Santa is real! *cries*

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Delayed gratification. Works every time.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
With beautiful angels, collected over the years by my Mum, preschool ornaments, and various other homespun, delicate, or just plain awesome ornaments. Oh, and lights. Lots of pretty lights. And blue tinsel. And on Christmas morning, it would magically be home to a plethora of candy canes.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
SNOW!!!!!!!!!! I want more.

12. Can you ice skate?
I can skate, yes. It's stopping that has me stymied.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
They're all special because of the thought that went into them, but I think getting Penny back -- who I lost down in the States on a roadtrip -- was pretty darn awesome.

14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Enjoying it with everyone I care about and reconnecting with people.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
It's candy moreso than dessert -- Sidekicks! Chewy nougat and graham cracker and chocolate, all in one neat package.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Watching over people open their gifts, checking my stocking, playing 'Santa' and handing gifts around to people.

17. What tops your tree?
An angel that plugs into the wall and lights up beautifully.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
Giving, but I find joy in receiving, too.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
Jingle Bells.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
I like savoury rather than minty or sweet, but when I'm in the mood for one, I like them just fine!

If you haven't done it already, scurry on back and try this for yourself. :)

Snagged from telynor.



I particularly like the 'Twelve tragic characters drawing' ... I can't help picturing Willoughby with a little sketchbook perched on his knee.

I could talk about how much I love the holiday season for its spirit of giving, the sense of community, the magic of snow falling and twinkly lights. I could tell you how I feel fuzzy when I see couples walking hand in hand, their hearts shining no matter what has befallen them this past year. I could even extol the virtues of how Christmas melts the hardest hearts.

I could, but today I won't. I'm going to be a material girl and talk about presents instead. Or namely, the exquisite green scarf that arrived from Australia today as a surprise Christmas present for my Mum. I couldn't wait, and I justified my impatience by thinking, Well, she can wear it over the holidays! My hunch was right. She loved it, and the colour is just -- I mean, forget about the colour, the scarf itself is brilliant, as is the person who picked it out. All hail Australian penpals whose aunt owns a beautiful shop with beautiful knick-knacks, and who takes the time to listen to my indecisiveness, handpick a scarf, and send it across the ocean, all in a matter of three days.

( This doesn't do justice to the colour, but you get an idea. )

I would probably have stolen it by now if Mum hadn't already knit me a fuzzy lavendar scarf of my own last night while we watched Sense and Sensibility. Not only that, but as another early Christmas present, she upgraded my Livejournal account to a paid account. Now I have no adverts and thus more room to pontificate. And I can upload more userpics! Yay!

Not only that, but as I told you the other day, I finally figured out which movie it was that enchanted me so as a child ... and another, which I saw on YTV two years in a row and fell in love with, is winging its way to us from Amazon. Today is a good day, and 2006 has a priceless holiday season. I feel so lucky to have such amazing friends and family.

We live in an apartment building with reasonable managers and laundry on the first floor. It's clean, most of the people are decent, if not lively characters, and the managers have decorated the lobby with teddy bears, penguins, and various animals riding sleighs and toboggans, as well as a flashy -- yet adorable -- little Christmas tree. I grin every time I go down to check the mail. It's a nice apartment in a nice neighbourhood.

Except for the Bozos.

The Bozos are our next-door neighbours. We've seen them once, and even then it was just a passing glance. At all hours of the day, they have music on, and not gentle, melodic music either: thumping, head-pounding music with the bass turned up so far you can literally feel it. It wakes us up in the morning, it serenades us to sleep at night. We've tried tapping on the wall whenever it gets too loud. When they didn't get the point, we rapped a little louder, to no avail.

Now the music is louder, the bass is at an all-time high, and they're thumping back.

We've talked to the managers about the Bozos, but apparently from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M., they can't do anything. However, anything you can find on the tenant's rights clearly state that we are entitled to enjoy peace and quiet. We're not music haters. We would blast our music too, if we could. There's nothing like Josh Groban taking over your senses to get your spring cleaning done. We're not even asking them to turn it off completely. It would just be nice if they could have a little courtesy.

*sigh*

They've got some friends over tonight, which probably explains why they thumped back. Oh, for one day of peace ...

To anyone who got this far, thank you for your patience. I will now move on to the entertainment portion of this program.

At the corner store the other day, there was a teenaged boy ahead of us in line. He was about 5'10, 5'11, with broad shoulders and dark glasses. The thing that got me was the dreamy smile on his face. Even as he was punching in his PIN number, there it was ... a smile that told me there was something sweet on his mind. Something to do with the holidays, perhaps? Just the right gift found for someone special? He was about my age, maybe a bit younger, and I was glad to see another dreamer. They're rare these days, and the more beautiful for it. Oh, and he was reading Eragon.

I finished Sense and Sensibility. From the movie, I knew that Marianne would live, but I couldn't help nibbling my nails and crying when nobody thought she would make it, and crying some more when they realized that she would. I loved the book. I think it may have usurped Truth About Forever, or it's at least right up there. The one thing I don't enjoy about Austen's books (now that I've read two) is that you don't get to see much of the aftermath with the couples together by story's end, like Marianne and Colonel Brandon or Emma and Mr. Knightley. After investing so much time and emotional turmoil in hoping for their eventual togetherness, I was left with a few paragraphs of narrative. *sigh* Oh well. That's what imagination is for, I suppose.

My Christmas shopping is halfway done. ( For Mum I got ... )

I got in touch with one of my friends from the 'old days', who now owns her own house and has weathered the Canadian Army's medical training. It's been a while, so it was great to hear from her again. Another one of my friends (from the same group of the 'old days', incidentally) recently took part in an important conference and had one of his important quotes published in an important Francophone newspaper. Did I mention that he speaks French and two (or is it three?) dialects of Chinese as well as English, and is attempting to learn German?

There are all sorts of movies I want to see over the holidays, but one that I really wish I could see, I don't remember the name of. It was on TV three or four years ago, maybe on YTV, I don't remember which channel. But it was animated. It had talking animals in it, as well as people. I remember a mouse or some other small creature got caught in a blizzard and temporarily stayed with an underground creature. This may be the same one that ... oh, this is more than I've remembered in a long time! There was a toy factory, too, and the toys came alive, and little toy airplanes and toy soldiers marched against ... something. Or someone. And then there was also a sage little mouse with glasses, I think. And the scene I remember from near the end, a little boy is on a porch, and Santa comes. And it's night time.

Does this strike any bells? Virtual brownies (gooey fudgey goodness) to anyone who can enlighten me.

Edit: Good gosh, I figured it out. Mum's lists that she sent me upon reading this set me off in the right direction, and after much muttering, I found it. More and more things started to ring bells. It's about a little orphan boy named Jeffrey, and he has a loyal pet cat, and he repairs broken toys from the closed down factory to take to the other orphans. It's called The Night Before Christmas, made in 1994. And it's a UK DVD.

Is it the same deal with DVDs that it is for VHS, as in British ones won't play in Canada?

...

Anybody? Please?!