Christmas Eve – Tradition & Change

Christmas Wreath

Since my parents split up a long, long time ago, Christmas Eve has been the time we celebrate with Mom. This is turkey night with all the trimmings. This is brie and crackers, veggies and dip, icy squares and clementines. And Asti, if we remember. This is laughter and good food and family.

This is our second Christmas without Mom. We spent last year’s in an ice storm, thankful for the return of power and eating Swiss Chalet. The storm was so out of the ordinary and so challenging for so many that we were filled with a deep gratitude for the simple gifts of being safe, warm and together.

This year we’re faced with how to go on celebrating without Mom. What feels like “our way” now? How do we honour our memories and traditions and also acknowledge that things have changed?

When I looked through Christmas pictures for this post, I realized that hough my image of Christmas Eve is stable for all of these years, in fact, it’s been so different so many times.

Christmas Ornaments

We’ve ordered Chinese Food and celebrated at Mom’s.

We’ve eaten dinner sitting on the floor in one of my first and favourite apartments. That year, Shannon created our Christmas Tree by drawing it on a single sheet of paper. We taped it to the wall and put the presents below.

So we’ve had paper trees and since then small trees and tall trees, wide trees and white trees.

Christmas Eve at Shannons

We’ve had rain and we’ve had snow.

We’ve celebrated on the 20th floor and in basements.

We’ve celebrated at Shannon’s and we’ve celebrated at mine and now at ours.

Christmas Eve at Ours

We’ve had raucous celebrations and quiet ones.

Christmas Ice Candles

We’ve gone out and we’ve stayed in.

Christmas Eve Out

We’ve been with many configurations of our loved ones.

6 Bascha at Christmas

The truth is that many things have varied when it comes to Christmas Eve.

Mom at Christmas

The only real constant?

Love.

And that, we still have.

Christmas Paperwhites

Creative Living Bookshelf: Episode 9

We creatives just love reading, don’t we? I find I’m always adding wonderful books to my creative living bookshelf! In this episode, I share 7 great finds covering everything from decluttering to showing your work, from alchemy to play, from passion to life purpose to asking. I’ve shared links below (don’t look if you want to be surprised when you watch the show!)

Here are the books currently on my Creative Living Bookshelf

  • The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo (Find on Amazon.comOn Amazon.ca)
  • Hop, Skip, Jump: 75 Ways to Playfully Manifest a Meaningful Life by Marney Makridakis (Find on Amazon.com, on Amazon.ca)(Psst… Marney has been a guest on Creative Living with Jamie. Listen here.)
  • Show Your Work!: 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon (Find on Amazon.com, on Amazon.ca)
  • Life Purpose Boot Camp: The 8-Week Breakthrough Plan for Creating a Meaningful Life by Eric Maisel (Find on Amazon.com, on Amazon.ca)(Eric has also been on Creative Living with Jamie. Listen here.)
  • On Becoming an Alchemist: A Guide for the Modern Magician by Catherine MacCoun (Find on Amazon.com, on Amazon.ca)
  • The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help by Amanda Palmer (Find on Amazon.com, on Amazon.ca)
  • Vital Signs: The Nature and Nurture of Passion by Gregg Levoy (Find on Amazon.comon Amazon.ca)  Gregg is going to be a guest on Creative Living with Jamie in the New Year. Be sure to watch for it!

Filming Creative Living Bookshelf

What are you reading?

Do you have a great creative living books to recommend to me?

stART: Revisioning Projects, Artist’s Dates and Planning Day

Every couple of weeks I film stART: Creating as We Go with my two sisters, Suzie and Shannon. We share our creative projects, from challenges to celebrations, and support each other’s creative lives. We hope we’ll inspire you to get creating too!

On episode 41: It’s our last episode of 2014 and we check in on our creative projects, start new ones, share new creative equipment and supplies, as well as look ahead to 2015 with our word of the year.

In this episode we mention:

Keep up-t0-date with stART: Creating As We Go

 

Wrapping Up, Celebrating the Year & Making Snow Angels

Every weekday morning I invite you Behind the Scenes at my studio.

Today: I can’t believe how centreal Behind the Scenes has become in the studio! It makes me beam to know that creative hearts around the world are sitting down with me over tea, after dinner, first thing in the morning, right before bed. I love that we get this studio time together. And that’s why it’s been so hard to decide it’s time for the holidays, to wrap up for 2014 with lots of love and celebrations and the intention to meet you all again in the New Year!

May you close 2014 with celebration, may you be filled with a sense of wonder and joy.
May the new year bless you in ways you haven’t even imagined.
May the holidays wrap you in peace, love and joy.

Mentioned in Today’s Show…

Plus… Today’s Tree Moment!Tree Moment

I’ll be sharing Tree Moments from now until Christmas on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.

I thought you might enjoy them here too.

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Books, Savouring & Learning to Dream

Every weekday morning I invite you Behind the Scenes at my studio.

Today: Getting ready to film another Creative Living Bookshelf, savouring the season and feeling committed to supporting people in remembering how to dream.

Mentioned in Today’s Show…

Plus… Today’s Tree Moment!

JRS Snowman Ornament

I’ll be sharing Tree Moments from now until Christmas on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.

I thought you might enjoy them here too.

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Create, Beta & Risk Sharing

Every weekday morning I invite you Behind the Scenes at my studio.

Today: I’m already excited about what’s coming in the New Year, including beta testing an offering I hope to launch in the spring. This, theatre and guitar class have taught me lessons about risking and sharing!

Mentioned in Today’s Show…

Plus… A Creative Sparkler!

Risk Sharing

I regularly share Sparklers on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.

I thought you might enjoy them here too.

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Celebrations, The Tango & A Tasting Menu

Every weekday morning I invite you Behind the Scenes at my studio.

Today: Celebrating the celebrations! The last few days have been extraordinary, from the success of planning day to celebrating my birthday with the tango!

Mentioned in Today’s Show…

Plus… A Creative Sparkler!

Love Today

I regularly share Sparklers on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter.

I thought you might enjoy them here too.

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