The magic of Taffy lane

You may not know, but we, the literary ladies of WTD are all currently living in Ontario.  We started this blog to shed a little light on the literary side of Canada's most political province: living a novel life is possible, even in the frozen wasteland that "On-terrible" can sometimes be!
If you live in Ottawa and need something free/very cheap to do over the holidays, why not check out Taffy lane?  It's a small suburban street famous for its residents who bedeck their houses in seasonal wonder.
Tip: park the car and walk the street: you'll see so much more of the detail and effort put in, and you'll enjoy the winter wonderland first hand!  Plus, I have a sneaking suspicion the few grinches who don't participate are protesting against the large amounts of increased traffic Taffy lane's notoriety brings every year.

Adorable,and so easy to DIY!

Need to add these guys to Jem's reindeer roundup!

 It goes without saying that the whimsy and holiday spirit are uplifting and inspirational.  I love how this community pulls together to create some spectacular.  They are the true embodiment of the Christmas spirit: they give all of us a show and it doesn't cost (us) a nickel.

My absolute favourite!

On my visit I saw at least four families with toddlers, some riding in sleds, enjoying the bright lights.  It was snowing big, fluffy flakes and the effect was truly magical.  A wholesome winter activity for the entire family!

Classy all white lighting

The beauty of this "community art project" is that everyone can show off their unique style.  It doesn't have to be big, flashy and expensive.  Many people simply put up a few strings of lights and left it at that-- it is still heartwarming to see just how many houses participate.  one of my particular favourites (sadly I didn't get to photograph) displays a light-up sign that is clearly wishing everyone happy holidays in a language I don't recognize.  I think it's fantastic that whomever that family is, whatever their heritage, their religion, etc, they not only participate in this tradition, but they also proudly display their unique way of celebrating.

Getting creative with Nightmare Before Christmas

If you get a chance to see Taffy lane, I recommend parking the car and walking the street.  Bring a hot chocolate (in a re-usable mug of course) and if you see any of the residents, congratulate them on another successful year.  These are the people who make Ottawa less stuffy and more awesome!

Jem's Guide to Proficient Packing

Is anyone else heading to a tropical destination this holiday season? As excited as I am, I am worried about packing. When I went to L.A. in the spring my bag was open and getting packed for two weeks pre-trip. Now I have a matter of days to pull it together. Packing can be an annoyance and can seriously ruin your trip if done wrong! (My most forgotten items: hair ties, hair brushes and my camera charger). This year, follow Jem's Guide to Proficient Packing and you'll be ready to jet anywhere at anytime. 

Source: We Heart It

P.S. this guide is technically made for a one-week Caribbean vacation for a twenty-something female traveller but  can be adapted to any locale or person!

I don't buy into the idea of "light" packing. Every time i've ever packed lightly i've felt like I didn't have enough clothes. There's nothing worse than having a suitcase filled with dingy clothes and nothing fresh to wear. For a reasonably fashionable female traveller I estimate that you will need two outfits per day; a daytime beach-going outfit and a  more formal dinner/nighttime outfit. Luckily, you can mix and match pieces to make more outfits out of what you bring.

The List

Source:  We Heart It

Clothes

• Pants: one pair of comfortable pants for flying and optional use at resort (example: lululemons)
• Shorts/Skirts: two-three.
• Leggings: optional but they are a great multi-use wardrobe piece 
• Dresses: five-seven. Dresses are a staple for a tropical vacation. They're great to throw over your bathing suit and also wearable at dinner.
• Sweater: one. You might need it at night and its nice to have on the plane.
• Tops: seven. I want to have one shirt per day that I can wear with pants/shorts/skirts/leggings. Shirts are the one thing I find I never have enough of and they're not as re-wearable as other items. Don't forget to bring camis for layering. 
• PJ's: this is kind of a personal choice. If you sleep naked score! one less thing to pack. If not, I recommend one pair of long pant PJ's and one pair of shorts with two comfy shirts. If you're going with your S/O you might want to pack something sexy!
• Blazer: one. Optional but is a great option to dress up your dresses for evening wear.
• Intimates: bras & underwear for everyday
• Bathing Suits: at least three. Nothing worse than a wet bathing suit!
• Shoes: practical flip flops for the beach, dressy sandals for evening/around the hotel, flats
• Hats: optional but a good idea in the sun!

Toiletries 

• Smile: toothbrush, toothpaste & floss
• Face: make-up & remover, face wash, toner, moisturizer, sunscreen formulated for your face!
• Hair: hair brush, hair elastics, bobby-pins, shampoo & conditioner (if you're away for a week you definitely want your own!), straightener/curler
• Body: moisturizer, sunscreen (buy new before the trip and get the right SPF for your skin), body wash, deodorant, shaving supplies
• First Aid: birth control, medications ect. 

Extras

• Beach Bag: something you can roll up and fit into your luggage easily is best! A beach bag/tote is a must for bringing what you need with you to the beach!
• Beach Reading: as a bookish gal I don't do "beach reads". I am going to take this opportunity to delve into the books on my "to read" shelf and get some serious reading done while I have the peace and tranquility to do it!
• Travel Essentials: travel insurance, passport, address of your hotel, money, copies of passport and drivers license (learned this the hard way one time)
• Hospitality Gifts: if you are travelling to a third world country its important to bring some gifts for your hotel staff. I bought my housekeepers soaps, toothpaste & toothbrushes, notebooks, crayons, stickers, pens & pencils, a hairbrush & hair ties, deoderant and a few fun girly items like pretty bracelets.
• Electronics: camera, phone (depending on country), chargers, iPod 

Well, that's it for now. If you think of anything I am missing PLEASE comment! Now you should be ready to lounge in the ocean like these adorable baby sea turtles!

Source: We Heart It

Holiday Gift Giving: DIY, Eco-Friendly, Recycled Wrapping

I have a penchant for gift wrapping. Growing up with a staunch feminist for a mother, whom I love dearly, our Christmas gifts were always hastily wrapped in paper grabbed at the last minute, on Christmas Eve, with a bow and a gift tag plopped on top. It was always a hassle, a chore, and more than likely one that was passed on to me. Luckily for me (and for mom) I love wrapping. I also love other things that my mom detests like doing crafts, decorating and renovating. For my mom, these kinds of activities are associated with antiquated female roles like “the perfect hostess” or “homemaker”. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have a lovely family home, or that my mom doesn’t enjoying baking dozens of Christmas cookies and throwing holiday parties, it just means that she has never wanted to feel like she is “supposed” to do these things. And I get that. But I can’t help it, I enjoy them.

Souce: We Heart It

I’m getting sidetracked, the point is, the older I’ve grown the more I’ve appreciated and enjoyed gift giving and gift wrapping. There is something really special about choosing something for someone that you care about and wrapping it in an equally care-filled way. We have made it obvious with our posts here at WTD that we like to spoil our loved ones; whether it’s with a DIY shower scrub, a treasured book or simply a potluck dinner with old friends, Christmas is a time to show the people you love how much you love them. To me, wrapping just tops off those sentiments. Crafting a beautiful looking parcel shows the care and thought you put into purchasing the gift.

Source: We Heart It

There are legitimate downfalls to wrapping, though and I am going to address them. A lot of people can’t invest time or money into wrapping because presents, especially for kids, are unwrapped in a matter of minutes. Your hard work and determination is undone by your greedy seven year old nephew who takes one look at the toy and tosses it aside. I can see how that is frustrating. Generally, we like to be pretty eco-friendly here at WTD so the fact that gift wrap creates a lot of garbage is a major concern. Luckily, gift wrap is becoming more and more recyclable as the years pass. Look for gift wrap that has that magical little triangle on the tag and make sure to tell the receiver that it is  (most people assume it isn’t). Other great options include using kraft paper (the kind you wrap parcels in for mail) or even newspaper and dressing the otherwise plain packaging up with an extra beautiful ribbon or bow. The best thing you can do is re-use your gift wrap. Don’t crumple the bag or cut that ribbon! If take the time to unwrap carefully and you can re-use almost every aspect of the present in future gift giving.

Once you've collected a selection of pre-loved, recycled and used gift wrap do an inventory and decide what you need to buy. It may not be realistic to wrap each gift with the amount of care and love you want to. Decide who will appreciate your time and efforts the most and spoil them. If you can wait, try holding out until a week before the big day. In the beginning of December wrapping paper comes at a premium but wait, the sale stuff is best! I got a plethora of amazing wrapping goods at Chapters yesterday for $2-$5 a piece! I got bows, ribbon, pretty tissue and a couple gorgeous tags to compliment my used/recycled/eco-friendly supplies.

I've done some serious brainstorming so I'll start by giving you some of my ideas (with a little help from the Internet):

Wrapping

• an old map
• recycled brown (or other) bags 
• kraft paper/butcher paper/brown paper
• newspaper
• magazine ads (ie. a super classy Chanel ad)
• pretty patterned pre-loved tissue paper (ie. the kind you get at higher-end stores in the bag)
• fabric scraps
• jars/tins/boxes
• sheet music
• burlap
• scrap wallpaper
• vintage sewing patterns (also works for tissue)

Ribbon

• ribbon
• twine
• raffia
• baker's twine
• string
• lace
• yarn

 Accents Pieces

• snips of greenery
• sprigs of berries
• small Christmas ornaments you don't use anymore
• bells
• shells
• pine cones
• postcards
• doily
• twigs
• feathers
• aluminium foil for a silvery sparkle
• paint chips cut into the shape of Christmas trees ect.

Now, on to the fun. What I have collected and pinned from the wonderful world of the Internet:

Use Buttons

This is a particularly awesome idea for kids and who doesn’t have a box full of spare buttons?

Use Your Feet:

Those feet-reindeer with googly eyes are probably the cutest thing I have ever seen!

Use Tree Clippings

Source: MomSpark

You have to trim the bottom branches off your tree anyway so why not use them in you wrapping? 

Create a Chalkboard Look

Source: Nashville Wraps

Chalkboards are very on trend yet would be unique for Christmas, you can create a chalkboard look and tie it all together with red ribbon! I like creativity this option opens up! If you have kids let them draw some snowmen and mistletoe all over them.

Make them Girly with Doilies

Source: The Yellow Buttercup

I think the kraft paper and doily go together beautifully. Using brown string to tie it all together just completes that pretty, rustic look.

All Natural

Source: Design Sponge

I love this combo of natural accent pieces, a homemade typewriter tag, kraft paper and tied with raffia.

Splatter Paint

Source: Go for the Creative

Not only does it look like snow but you get to re-live your Kindergarten days making it!

Potato Stamp

Source: Lost and Fawned

While you're still in your splatter painting clothes continue down memory lane and potato stamp some butcher paper with Christmas trees!

Feathery Flair

Source: Maggie Pate's Flickr

Real or fake, feathers add flair! These packages also have beautiful tags.

Lady-Like Lace

Source: Living in Simplicity

 Adding a little lace is a pretty accent. Adding lace and ribbon? I'm in love! Simple elegance. I would use a Christmas-y coloured ribbon, though. 

Cookie Cutter Patterns

Source: Restless Oasis

If you have an excess of Christmas-y cookie cutters re-use a couple of them to make wintery designs on your parcels!

 Sheet Music

Source: Vintage with Laces

 I love the look of sheet music as wrapping paper especially for a music lover!

The last, and my favouirte!

Sadly Pinterest had no click-through for this one :(

Well, that's a wrap! Gotta book it!

xoxo JEM

P.S. post your eco-friendly, DIY, recycled and re-useable ideas in the comments! Tweet, Pin & Instragram us too!

The 10 Best Literary Christmas Quotations (According to Us)

There is nothing better than reading about Christmas in your favourite literature! A truly good book can get you in the mood for December even on a sunny August afternoon. So sit back, relax and take in my list of the ten best literary chrsitmas quotes. Don't agree? Repond with your favourite quotations in the comments!

Source: We Heart It

A special thank you to Goodreads and Google which made compiling this list of quotations ridiculously easy on this snowy December morning!

10.)

Source: School Library Journal

“Always winter but never Christmas.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

9.)

Source: byubookstore

 “I mean the baronet and the rector, not our brothers—but the former, who hate each other all the year round, become quite loving at Christmas.”
― William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair

8.)

Source: Wikipedia

“Mistletoe," said Luna dreamily, pointing at a large clump of white berries placed almost over Harry's head. He jumped out from under it. "Good thinking," said Luna seriously. "It's often infested with nargles.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 

7.) 

“I sincerely hope your Christmas in Hertfordshire may abound in the gaieties which that season generally brings, and that your beaux will be so numerous as to prevent your feeling the loss of the three of whom we shall deprive you.”
― Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

 

6.)

 “CALVIN: This whole Santa Claus thing just doesn't make sense. Why all the secrecy? Why all the mystery? If the guy exists why doesn't he ever show himself and prove it? And if he doesn't exist what's the meaning of all this? HOBBES: I dunno. Isn't this a religious holiday?
CALVIN: Yeah, but actually, I've got the same questions about God.”
― Bill Watterson

5.) 

Source: The Literary Snob

“But at Christmas he had returned to Minneapolis, tight-lipped and strangely jubilant.”

― F. Scott Fitzgerald, This Side of Paradise

4.)

Source: Page Pulp

“He went to the church, and walked about the streets, and watched the people hurrying to and for, and patted the children on the head, and questioned beggars, and looked down into the kitchens of homes, and up to the windows, and found that everything could yield him pleasure. He had never dreamed of any walk, that anything, could give him so much happiness.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

 3.)

Source: MsJacoby

“At one time, most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I've grown old, the bell still rings for me, as it does for all who truly believe.”
― Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express

2.)

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”
― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

1.)

Source: Wikipedia

“One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Because in our hearts, here at WTD, Dumbledore is always number one! Hope you all have a lovely day and get to play in the snow!

The evolution of a Christmas tradition

Sunday night marked the 8^th anniversary of the Christmas dinner tradition my best friends and I began when we were fifteen. Well, 8 years ago give or take. The last couple of years our tradition was passed over, just because it was impossible to find a time when the five of us were in the same city and available on the same day! Between me and another friend being out of town for school, and two of the others who normally spend the holidays vacationing, keeping our high school tradition alive has been harder than ever! Despite my hopes for this year, when we were all finally going to be in the same city for the first time in five years, the planning was just as difficult! It made me nostalgic for the high school years when seeing your best girls was an everyday occurrence; ironically, making the seeing one another at Christmas dinner less important, but easier, than it is now.

We began this tradition in tenth grade.  By then, me and my close group of girlfriends had already known each other for eight years.  At such a young age, we were already a family, and we thought that a Christmas dinner was due to celebrate that. We decided to do a potluck (which for most of us meant that our mothers prepared some yummy dish—I only barely learned to cook when I went away for university) and exchanged small gifts around the Christmas tree.  The following year, we decided to do Kris Kringle instead, and buy a bigger gift for one person, since only a few of us had part time jobs hence, the gift giving was also brought-to-you-by our parents. (Merry Christmas, from my mom just doesn’t have the same ring to it as a gift you buy yourself, am I right?)

Christmas dinner 2006. (Sorry about the poorly blurred faces, privacy and all that)

By the time we were eighteen, the idea of Christmas dinner became more important than ever—my friend Sarina and I had both gone out of town for university, and we happened to be on opposite ends of the province. Two of my other friends had also begun intensive post secondary programs, and the final member of our group of five was hunting for full time employment; safe to say, we all had quite a bit on our plates and our communication had dwindled significantly. I came into town one weekend specifically for Christmas dinner, and I remember how excited I was when my friends pulled up at the bus station to pick me up. It truly felt like a family reunion, but one you actually want to attend. By Christmas 2008, we all had so many other financial responsibilities that we decided to cut out gift exchange altogether, thinking it was better to spend time and money on actually cooking for our annual potluck, and just enjoying being in one another’s company after such long separation. But you’d never get the sense anything was “missing”, since we were all laughs and smiles (ok so the multiple bottles of wine we consumed may have contributed to that); we even took what you might call “traditional family photos” with the whole group in front of the tree.

Christmas dinner 2008

That was the last time we were able to get together for our annual potluck dinner. Even this year, one of my friends was missing due to a family function, but we just COULD NOT find another day that worked for the majority of the group, so we decided more attendance was better than no Christmas dinner at all. We held dinner a little bit later than usual, to accommodate the work schedules of two of my friends, but even still everyone contributed something, the wine flowed and it felt like we were eighteen again. This year, for the first time, it was really starting to hit home that traditions like these may be harder to keep as the years go on and life gets busier, which makes them that much more important, even if it is the only time I see my best friends during the entire holiday season. It would sadden me to see these aspects of our friendship take the backburner to inevitable life changes: I hope we will continue our Christmas tradition unto the point where we are each bringing our own families to celebrate with old friends.  Essentially, it is all about making traditions of love, like our Christmas dinner, a priority, agreeing to make compromises and sacrifices where necessary to ensure that for that one night a year, our little family is all present to celebrate not only the holiday season, but the fact that after so many years of adolescent struggle, the pressures of high school, physical separation and the difficulties that come with growing up, our friendship has survived, and is as strong as ever.

I felt that emphasizing this was most important this of all years, since I have a feeling that the next few years there will bring some big life changes for many of my friends wherein remembering and relying on your truest friends will be crucial. To reiterate to my girls my love and appreciation for them and our friendship, I decided to give them each a small token from my heart. True to my literary soul, I wrote them each a poem to commemorate the years past and express my hope for the future. I put them in frames that cost me no more than a couple of bucks, and I got a more emotional and appreciative response than I would have expected. Just goes to show that around the holidays, gifts given from love (whether that be kind words on a page or spoken aloud, or time spent together) are really all any of us can ask for. I encourage everyone to make similar traditions with close friends or family, at the very least to ensure that no matter how crazy life gets, there remains a stable foundation of love on which to rely, the sharing of which one can unwaveringly 

look forward to year after year.

However, I intend to make sure that next year’s Christmas dinner includes all five of our group. I may need to start planning now.