Merry Christmas fellow Hosts,
Living in Sooke on Vancouver Island, British Columbia has been one of those magical gifts that keeps on giving. When we purchased our new home in 2007 we had no idea how these new surroundings were going to positively impact our lives. But we were excited about our new adventure moving from Ottawa the capital of Canada, to the small community of Sooke which is situated just outside of Victoria, British Columbia.
Every community has their own traditions and in the community of Sooke there is a special tree on Whiffin Spit that is decorated every year. These decorations are donated by individuals who reside in the community and then in the New Year they all disappear overnight until the following December. As we walk past this tree everyday while walking our dog Maverick, we donate decorations to the tree, and it has some of the craziest tree decorations that you have ever seen. That’s one of the things that makes this tree so special. It’s the gift of a smile that unfolds across your face as you walk up to the tree and take in the warmth and humour that this community wants to share with you. T’is the season of Giving.
Now as someone who loves to celebrate the holidays with great friends and family. I also love to share my favourite holiday cocktail called ‘Santa’s Sleigh Cocktail’. This has been my favourite for the past couple of years. It is always a big hit and now I want to share it with all of you. It is so delicious and yummy that you might even want a second one as my senior-seniors seemed to have enjoyed at our family Christmas dinner. But let me warn you well in advance, there are just a few extra calories in this seasonal treat. So you can’t even think about that, you just take in the merriment of the season and toast to good health and happiness with all your friends and family. T’is the season of Sharing.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sandra-lee/santas-sleigh-cocktail-recipe-1943333
We moved to Sooke to get a break from the long cold winters in Ottawa, and it seems that with global warming the cold front has landed on our doorsteps this winter. This is what it looked like last night before we headed off to bed. Now I am someone who loves the snow, ( not the -36 degrees below celsius ) kind of winter snow. So I was delighted when I woke this morning to this magical winter wonderland. Snow illuminates the house and makes our entire surroundings and neighbourhood look so much more beautiful. Rarely does it snow more that 1.6 inches during the winter months in Sooke because of our temperate climate. Then it has usually melted by the next day so ‘no shovelling is required’. However, last night our community was blanketed with 20 centimeters of fresh snow and we are apparently receiving more snow on the 24th of December. So it looks like we will have a very white Christmas this year. T’is the season of Joy.
As my husband is now tackling shovelling our driveway along with all of our neighbours while enjoying this experience together. Driving in Sooke is difficult during these times as we only have one snow removal truck designated to our entire district of over 20,000 residents. Most people who have not grown up with snow usually drive too fast and they spin their tires only to discover that they are not going anywhere. It does take some experience to drive in the snow and one must be patient with one another as we all share the road together. T’is the season of Humility.
However, not all of our neighbours are concerned about their driveways. They are out and about walking in the snow with their pets and enjoying the views. And some are even digging out their cross country skis and taking in the natural beauty that this community shares with the world. When Mother Nature throws you a curve ball simply pivot and take advantage of what is at your doorstep. T’is the season of Gratitude.
I would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year. Bring on 2023 because we are ready for YOU!
@Linda3273 thank you for sharing the picture of your community Christmas tree that everyone share by adding a Christmas decoration. I also love to see your photos of the snow which we don't experience aat this time of year. The closest I can get is the snowman I made at craft which was our challenge for Christmas in July.
Merry Christmas to you and your family and I hope it isn't too much work moving the snow out of the driveway.
We experience the sun but this year I think it will be rain.
Merry Christmas @Laurelle3 ,
Well, the show we are currently receiving is so unusual that we have broken many records across British Columbia. We even had to buy a new shovel yesterday because our other snow shovel handle broke. 🤣 But now it has started to rain and the artic low-pressure system is moving east. We will be receiving freezing rain in the next couple of hours and then it will be very dangerous as we are then dealing with black ice conditions.
People have been advised to stay off of the roads so that emergency vehicles can get through, so we shall see.
In the meantime, I would like to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday season.
Hope you enjoy our snow picture as we don't know when it will happen again🎄
