Real or Fake: The Lowdown on Christmas Trees

I grew up in a family that always had a real Christmas tree. Every year we'd head over to the local Christmas tree lot (and I think we occasionally cut it down ourselves), and picked out the finest looking tree to fit in our low-ceiling family room. We also purchased that horrible tinsel stuff, and burned real logs in our fire place - soooo eco-friendly!!

I've never understood the need for plastic trees, but I recently heard that a plastic tree might be more environmentally friendly than chopping one down. Instead of packing away the saw, I decided to do some research to see whether this was true. Where better to find out about the green-ness of your tree than the David Suzuki website!

This Green Holiday Guide compares real Christmas trees with plastic ones. The verdict? Real Christmas trees are a more sustainable option than their plastic counterparts unless you plan on using your fake tree for 20 years or more OR you have to drive really far to find a real tree.

So I breathed a sigh of relief, and we'll plan our annual trip to a local Christmas tree farm to cut ours down (and let's be honest, the hot chocolate at the end of the trip is the best part). For me, there's nothing that beats that real tree smell! It even trumps the million pine needles that clog my vacuum every year!

Want to have even less of an impact on the environment? David Suzuki suggests purchasing a potted tree, an indoor pine, or starting your own Christmas tree farm. Also consider buying local, at a farm that minimizes pesticide use. Here's a great list of local tree farms around Ottawa - give them a call to see what their practices are like!

And if you must purchase that fake tree (I get it, I get it - sometimes they ARE easier!) than make sure it's a good one that you'll use for a loooong time. And avoid toxic PVC plastic if you can.

So what do you think? Real or fake?

Getting into the Holiday Spirit with the Handmade Harvest Holiday Craft Show!

by Laura Kelly This past Saturday, one of my sisters and I returned to our hometown of Almonte – just 45 minutes west of Ottawa – to kick off the holiday season with the Handmade Harvest Holiday Craft Show.

For those who haven’t heard of it, Handmade Harvest is a well curated bi-annual craft show. This amazing show is the brainchild of Almonte locals and shop owners Emily Arbour (Hello Yellow) and Colleen Hewitt (Crush Marketplace), who bonded over their love of all things handmade. They set out to create a show that would “nurture the local independent craft community by providing an outlet for emerging makers of all ages…and make buying handmade items easy and fun to do.”

In 2014, Colleen stepped aside from her organizing role, so now Emily and her husband, Brad Weir, collaborate to create craft shows that are truly great experiences for both the vendors and shoppers.

Since the very first show in 2010, Almonte residents and out-of-towners alike have flocked to Handmade Harvest to find the perfect gifts for friends, family members, or themselves, and this year was no different. Over 3,000 shoppers came by the Old Almonte Town Hall over the two day show. It was a great atmosphere and the venue was abuzz with people shopping, snacking, chatting and laughing, and just generally having a good time.

The super keen were lined up around the corner for more than an hour before the show started. Those in line were anxious to be one of the first 50 people through the door and receive a coveted swag bag filled with goodies from vendors and sponsors. I myself was not one of these people, but I have a friend who was, and who makes it her mission to get one each and every Handmade Harvest craft show. Apparently these bags are definitely worth the wait.

Each Handmade Harvest craft show features tons of talented vendors and their quality creations. This year, the show hosted 121 different vendors over the two days. There were so many products to browse and choose from, including jewelry, clothing, home décor, artwork, furniture, and plenty of items for infants and children. A few of my favourites included:

Blondie Apparel and their super stylish Boot Cuffs

Sweetcheeks Kitchen and their delicious gluten-free treats

Daly Unstructured and their rustic and creative wine rack

These are just three of many vendors I visited on Saturday, not to mention the whole slew of new vendors that set up on Sunday. To check out all the vendors and their products, visit their profiles.

The Handmade Harvest Holiday Craft Show was a highly anticipated event on my calendar, and the show did not disappoint. Attending the show was a great way to support local artists, crafters, and businesses and get a head start on my Christmas shopping! I found unique and meaningful items for almost everybody on my list.

Do you have a favourite holiday craft sale?

Halloween and Day of the Dead

Halloween

Is it a coincidence that the pagan-based Halloween falls around the time of Mexico's holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)? History says probably. Our Halloween is likely more closely connected to the Christian feast All Hallow's Eve, and to pagan traditions from Celtic-speaking countries.

That Halloween has become a mainly commercial celebration (a time for children to gorge on treats full of refined sugar and artificial flavours/colours) is rather sad. I'm all for chocolate and candy (hey, I've already broken into our box of mini chocolate bars!), but I'm increasingly interested in ways that we can bring back a more traditional meaning to the day.

Westerners are notoriously fearful of death. Death is always tragic and heartbreaking. We feel at a loss when comforting friends and family - what's the right thing to say? The fact that we're no longer flocking to organized religion for guidance means that many of us feel spiritually deprived or unsure of our beliefs.

This issue hit me smack in the nose the other night when my daughter suddenly began discussing death (why do these conversations always happen right before bedtime?) She got worked up, and wondered what she would do if Mommy and Daddy died. I tried to answer her questions and calm her fears, but I felt inadequate.

Google "how to talk to your kids about death" and you'll come up with thousands of articles. Most of the advice is good - state facts as simply as possible, and don't make stuff up (e.g. "Grandma has gone to sleep.") But rarely do I find articles that frame death in a more positive light.

On Dia de los Muertos, you might see skulls and skeletons, but people are not scared. In fact, they're having fun! They dress in costumes, share food, create representations of skulls and skeletons, and give offerings to their departed loved ones.

Obviously individuals who celebrate Dia de los Muertos still feel sad when family members or friends die. But instead of the usual hush-hush and gloom that surrounds the death, there is instead a celebration of life - and a strong belief that a loved one is in a good place.

So here are a few ideas on how to integrate death and dying into your Halloween celebrations - in a way that kids will understand and enjoy!

• Check out Pinterest for some great Dia De Los Muertos craft ideas
• Take your kids to see the movie The Book of Life - set on the Day of the Dead, I'm sure the film will provide a jumping off point for discussions about death
• If you're a parent interested in having an open and honest discussion about death, join the Death Cafe Ottawa! (next cafe night is November 5th)
• If your kids are old enough, pay a visit to the grave or memorial of a loved one. Bring bunches of colourful flowers, and ask your kids to make an offering (see the craft ideas above)
• Before heading out trick or treating on Halloween, prepare a yummy feast (doesn't have to be Mexican food!) Take a moment for each person to say what they cherish about their life - death is also about life after all!

Do you celebrate Dia de las Muertos? 

Thanksgiving Weekend Round-Up

Phew, what a week! The blog's been quiet while I was away at the Birth and Beyond Conference in London, Ontario. I'm back now, and dealing with all the email and work that's piled up in my absence :) One thing on my mind this past week was Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has always been a special time for my family. As a child, I spent the weekend up in Haliburton, Ontario at my grandfather's cottage. Cold nights by the fire, marshmallows, canoe trips on the lake, and going for wheelbarrow rides (which ended by getting dumped in a pile of leaves at the bottom of the drive).

We're far from Haliburton here in Ottawa, but we share the vibrant colours and crisp sunny days with cottage country. I'm motivated to plan fun activities for my family to do while I've got three days off. Here's a list of the ideas I've gathered:

1) For families with older kids - a Haunted Village at Cumberland Heritage Village Museum.

2) A hike in Gatineau Park to see the Fall colours.

3) If you're up for a full day, you could pair your hike with a trip to a Quebec cranberry farm.

4) A walk along the Mer Bleu Bog Trail.

5) If you have a babysitter or are kid-free, you may want to get that last round of golf in!

6) The Ottawa Farmer's Market is still open and it's hopping! I'm planning on heading there on Sunday to stock up on veggies for soups and stews.

7) A country fair is perfect for this time of year! The Pontiac Country Fair is taking place in Gatineau Park this weekend.

8) Pumpkin patch! Saunders Farm, Millers Farm, and Cannamore Orchard are a few popular places.

9) Thanksgiving Weekend activities at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum.

10) Help others in need by making a donation to your local food bank!

What do you do Thanksgiving weekend?

5 Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day

When I think of Valentine's Day, I think of red roses and chocolate (actually, I associate chocolate with almost any word, but I'm a bit obsessed). I also associate this day with romantic love - a chance to escape the chaos of family life and celebrate with my husband. But my parents always celebrated The Day of Love with us as children, and I often woke up to a special gift on my chair at the kitchen table. Although I'll look forward to giving my hubby a special card or a homemade treat, I'm also excited to share the love with my children. And truthfully, there's no money (and a lack of babysitters) to give us a night of freedom :)

Here are 5 great ways to celebrate Valentine's Day with your family:

1.  Date Night (or afternoon) - Surprise your child by picking them up early from school, and taking them out for a treat. So what if it's -15 outside? Indulge in an ice cream cone together (if school is more important for your child than it is for my kindergartner, then schedule your date post-dinner)

2. Go outside for a hike in the woods, and leave random hearts in the snow (these snow markers are so much fun!)

3. Read a special book all about Valentine's Day - this is our favourite!

4. Help your child make a Valentine's mail box, where they can collect all their Valentine's from school (yes, I know how annoying it is to have to write 30 Valentine's to all the kids in your child's class, but remember how much fun it was to receive them?)

5. If you want to purchase something, consider a gift that can support a charity - have your child pick out something special!

How are you celebrating Valentine's Day?