Merry Christmas : Celebrating "The Twelve Days of Christmas"

Tradition in many cultures continues today with a lovely celebration of the twelve days of Christmas through until the 5th or 6th of January.

The celebration of the Epiphany with a King's cake galette des Roi in Quebec city, symbolising the journey of the Three Wise Men to baby Jesus, in biblical times, still continues with several bakeries offering this cake in my neighbourhood.

photo courtesy of the French Embassy, Ottawa

I love the idea that I can continue wishing family and friends a Merry Christmas into the New Year!

Decorations and festivities can stay up around the house.

There's no need to tear down the tree with all its trimmings straight away.

It is even said that Shakepeare's Twelfth_Night_(holiday) is an ode to the celebratory end of the twelve days of Christmas.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian Christmas) sung in French by children

sung in French by Jozef's school class (maternelle I and II) at L'Arbrisseau

School's Out ... time for sledding, December 2014

on the last day of school before Christmas

The Christmas Story - a Kiwi version

as told by children of St Paul's, Auckland, New Zealand

Simple Gift Giving for Christmas

When asking a child what they'd like for Christmas here's a simple philosophy that I enjoy following:

something they WANT, something they NEED, something to WEAR and something to READ ...

• something they WANT (toys of course Mum!)
• something they NEED (could be as simple as new underwear; or a bigger pair of ice-skates for school)
• something to WEAR (the request was a "crocodile t-shirt" ... Santa's still working on this; or some Christmas pyjamas)
• something to READ (this year my son requested the letters V, W, X, Y and Z just like the caricature's at school ... another tricky problem for Santa to solve!)

Christmas dance moves 2014

at home, and at school ...

Christmas at Home 2014

the tree is trimmed with trinkets and we're waiting for Santa

School on a snowy day ...

Christmas in Old Quebec 2014

it's the most magical time of the Year!

Spider Costume - easy to make

Items Needed:

• 1x pair of Black pants
• 1x long sleeved black shirt (we used a long-sleeved plain cotton t-shirt for indoors and a polo-fleece as it was only 4 degrees outside at night)
• Two pairs of black knee-high socks (stuffed with plastic bags)
• Black wool (for the spider web effect)
• Extras:- a spider cape and spider hat (from Dollarama)

1. Stitch or tape the stuffed black socks into place, along the side of the black shirt (as spider legs)
2. Stitch the wool in place, to the "legs" (this creates an effect of a spider web, and helps lift the legs up when the child holds up their arms) and VOILA!

Note: the 1st and 4th set of legs are the shirt and pant legs

For Kids Who Love LEGO!

We're now following Evan and his sister, Jillian 

who have their own site for kids who love LEGO.  

Watching Evan has inspired my son to 

build and re-build his own play sets of LEGO.

"Irreplacable" movie trailer ONE NIGHT ONLY, Wednesday, 7th May 2014 across Canada

What is family? 

"Irreplacable" the movie will be showing in theatres
across Canada this coming week.

ONE NIGHT ONLY, Wednesday, 7th May 2014
Book HERE or for Group sales: 1.800.313.4461  

Check out the reviews.  

PS: It is hosted by a kiwi who travelled the world in search of answers!

Ice flows washed up on the shoreline of the St. Lawrence

It's hard believe there are still ice flows that are several feet thick, along the shoreline of the St. Lawrence River.  They float in and out with the tides and will probably be gone in a week or so.

Spring Photos posted by ... An Anglo in Québec

An Anglo in Québec: Quebec city: This past weekend I played tourist with a dear friend of mine as we headed out on the ferry that crosses between Québec city (old port)

Quebec in a Deep Freeze with temperatures around -31 degrees celsius!

Brrrr... it's cold!  Watch what happens to a cup of boiling water at -29 degrees celsius! (click to view)

See our local radio station for more interesting photos of the St. Lawrence River at -31 degrees celsius ... CBC Radio Quebec AM