The Reindeer Are Coming! The Reindeer Are Coming!!

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Mike Nelson Pedde — 2 Comments ↓

Mrs. Claus and Twinkles and Krinkles (stuffed reindeer) are standing in front of a two panel holiday display at Hillside Mall in Victoria. The right panel has a winter Christmas image and the left panel begins with a title of "Once Upon a Time"

Mrs. Claus, Krinkles and Twinkles at Hillside Mall

Hi Folks:

On Friday we took Krinkles and Twinkles over to Hillside Mall; a lot of people lose their smiles this time of year and being happy reindeer, they like to help people get their smiles back. So they peek unobtrusively into store windows, skirt around crowds, and wave to pretty much everyone they see. Mostly people smile, sometimes they wave back (and sometimes they don’t and that’s okay too). T&K like to think that maybe they helped pull joy a little closer to the surface.

Yesterday the four of us walked around downtown Victoria and continued spreading cheer. We went through all four levels of the Bay Centre, the Library, Market Square and Centennial Square/City Hall. They got to meet a new friend (a fairy named Joy) and hung out for a bit with old friends at Market Square and the edge of Chinatown. The final stop was Cat’s Coffee and Cakes for a little refreshment. Thirsty work, waving at all those people… 👋

Hugs,

M&M

P.S. It’s quite possible that for at least one person we encountered, a smile and a wave from someone is the best Christmas present they’ll receive this year. For that, we’d like to thank you.

The happy threesome in front of the large (3+ storeys), resplendent Christmas tree on the lower level of the Bay Centre — The Happy Trio at the Festival of Trees at the Bay Centre

Meeting up at the outdoor courtyard at Market Square with their old friend - a VERY large sculpture of a polar bear, seated — The Happy Trio at the Festival of Trees at the Bay Centre

Celebrating the Holidays!

Posted on December 20, 2023 by Mike Nelson Pedde — 2 Comments ↓

Hi Folks:

This Friday marks the winter solstice; we’re closing in on the end of another year. As the global pandemic has shifted to an endemic, we’re continuing to open to ourselves and each other – slowly and with caution, but still. Last night we hosted our first Christmas dinner with friends since 2019.

As we move toward the vernal equinox we will be entering the period where the days begin to lengthen once again (here in the northern hemisphere, at least). More light, more trust, new beginnings. It’s a choice each of us gets to make in every moment, so if you’re ever unsure how to react in any situation, be kind. It’s good for you, good for the other person, is non-fattening, doesn’t cause cavities and helps to make the world a better place, even just for a moment. And, sharing kindness is often contagious! Pay it forward. 🙂

A Christmas tree decorated largely with twinkling white lights and shiny silver balls, it also displays a heavy piece of cardstock with the message, "Peace on Earth"

Peace on Earth – Festival of Trees, the Bay Centre, Victoria, BC

“We’re all just walking each other home.” ~ Ram Dass

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Festivus, Solstice or Saturnalia, the arrival of Sinterklaas or Grandfather Frost, Hanukkah, Yalda, Pancha Ganapati, Bodhi Day, Kwanzaa, Eid al-Fitr (April 2024), Diwali (October 2024) or something entirely personal, from our house to yours, we wish you a Safe and Happy Holiday season! May 2024 find you safe, healthy and surrounded by Love. 💗

Hugs,
M&M
🎅🤶

Celebrating the Holidays!!

Posted on December 23, 2022 by Mike Nelson Pedde — Leave a reply

Hi Folks:

We’re running a little late with our Holiday Greeting this year… The winter solstice has come and gone, winter has descended up on us (here in Victoria, anyway!) and today marks the sixth day of Hanukkah.

As we move toward the vernal equinox we’re also entering the period where the days begin to lengthen once again (here in the northern hemisphere, at least). More light, more trust, new beginnings. It’s a choice each of us gets to make in every moment, so if you’re ever unsure how to react in any situation, be kind. It’s good for you, good for the other person, is non-fattening, doesn’t cause cavities and helps to make the world a better place, even just for a moment. And, sharing kindness is often contagious! Pay it forward. 🙂

A gingerbread creation in the shape of a pegacorn. Per the rules, everything in the display must be edible. In this case the horn is made from drawn sugar, the wings were individually hand-cut and the final result is just exquisite.

Pegacorn – by Selena Olivera for the 2022 Victoria Gingerbread Showcase for Habitat for Humanity.

“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” —Princess Diana.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Festivus, Solstice or Saturnalia, the arrival of Sinterklaas or Grandfather Frost, Hanukkah, Yalda, Pancha Ganapati, Bodhi Day, Kwanzaa or something entirely personal, from our house to yours, we wish you a Safe and Happy Holiday season! May 2023 find you safe, healthy and surrounded by Love. 💗

Hugs,
M&M
🎅🤶

P.S. Above image made by Marcia.

Celebrating the Holidays!!

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Mike Nelson Pedde — Leave a reply

Hi Folks:

Well, we’re into our second pandemic Holiday season, and pretty much everyone is doing their best to make it through the day. It’s a good reminder to all of us that everything on this planet we call home is connected… certainly not a new idea, but one worth remembering.

As we enter the first full day of winter (here in the northern hemisphere, at least) we’re also entering the period where the days begin to lengthen once again. More light, more trust, new beginnings. It’s a choice each of us gets to make in every moment, so if you’re ever unsure how to react in any situation, be kind. It’s good for you, good for the other person, is non-fattening, doesn’t cause cavities and helps to make the world a better place, even just for a moment. And, sharing kindness is often contagious! Pay it forward. 🙂

From our house to yours, we wish you a Safe and Happy Holiday season! May 2022 find you safe, healthy and surrounded by Love. 💗

“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.” – Barbara De Angeli

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Festivus, Solstice or Saturnalia, the arrival of Sinterklaas or Grandfather Frost, Hanukkah, Mawlid Un Nabi, Yalda, Pancha Ganapati, Bodhi Day, Kwanzaa or something entirely personal, we send you love. Create an amazing 2022!!

Hugs,
M&M

P.S. The image above is one made by Marcia during a recent visit to the Royal BC Museum here in Victoria. The image is iconic in that the 3rd floor of the museum, including the Old Town displays, will be closed on January 2, 2022 while the museum undergoes modernization and updating of their exhibits. Therefore, this is the last Christmas display there as it is now.

Krinkles and Twinkles and Smiles, Oh My!!

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Mike Nelson Pedde — Leave a reply

Mrs. Claus, Krinkles and Twinkles at the Bay Centre

Hi Folks:

This marks the second pandemic Holiday season, and things continue to ebb and flow. Yesterday Krinkles and Twinkles managed to twist our arms enough (it took a serious amount effort!! 🙂 ) to take them on their annual walk about Victoria. This marks our 7^th such adventure, and they always have a really good time. As with 2020 we didn’t venture into as many buildings as we had in previous years, but the reindeer don’t mind. They take great delight in smooshing their noses up against windows and peeking in, waving to anyone and everyone in their path… What delights them most is when people smile and/or wave back and they know that they’ve brought happiness into someone’s life, even if just for a moment. Most children smile and wave and a good percentage of the adults do too (even if some of them only smile on the inside). Some people look at them like they’ve never seen Mrs. Claus (or her companion – long white beard, long red cloak) walking around with waving reindeer, but that’s okay too. The holidays can be hard for some people and that’s why Krinkles and Twinkles take such delight in their outing.

Starting from our home in James Bay we walked through the downtown, checking out some of the annual creations for the Gingerbread Showcase and the Festival of Trees before retiring to Murchie’s café for a tea and lunch (Mrs. Claus found the pumpkin spice soup to be excellent!)

On our way back home we stopped at the Homecoming Memorial at Ship Point to spend a moment with our old friend Captain John Mason, and we tarried awhile by our hugging tree, handing out smiles, good wishes and lots of waves!

Many thanks to everyone who joined in the celebration with us yesterday, to the person in Ottawa who joined us virtually, and to the gentleman who stopped to say he had a picture of us from last year!

We haven’t been able to partake in our hugging adventures since March 2020, but maybe we’ll bring out a couple of our other kids – Frosty and Wonder for example – to our hugging tree after the holidays and we can engage in more smiles and waves then.

Hugs,
Mrs. and Mr. Claus 🤶🎅

All That GLITTERs

Posted on January 23, 2021 by Mike Nelson Pedde — Leave a reply

Hi Folks:

We’re now closing in on the end of January so it’s a little late for this post. However, we didn’t want to put it off for another year, as we have so much for which to thank G.L.I.T.T.E.R. By now (almost?) all Christmas decorations have been taken down, artificial Christmas trees have been returned to storage and most live trees have been chipped for mulch. A few, although growing in number, are kept in pots as live trees and then planted out in the spring. And then there’s G.L.I.T.T.E.R. You see, G.L.I.T.T.E.R. is not only our Christmas tree, ‘she’ has been our tree for the past 12 Christmases. G.L.I.T.T.E.R. is a Norfolk Island pine tree. We brought G.L.I.T.T.E.R. home in 2009, and at the time she was barely a foot tall. From the floor, she’s now approaching 6 feet. We believe she’s got a couple of more years before we have to cut a hole in the ceilingâ€¦ 🙂 Our first tree was F.R.E.D., then F.R.E.D.E.R.I.C.A., F.R.E.D.D.Y. and then F.R.E.I.D.R.I.C.H. You can read more about their varied history, here. We were away in 2013, but here are some images of G.L.I.T.T.E.R. over the years.

(if you want a size comparison, look for the same Selenite crystal in each image)

So, our thanks to G.L.I.T.T.E.R. for 12 Christmases together! We’ll look forward to celebrating with you again come December!

Hugs,
M&M

Happy Holidays!!

Posted on December 18, 2020 by Mike Nelson Pedde — 2 Comments ↓

Hi Folks:

Well, it’s been a year, to put it mildly. Ironic perhaps that in many ways the very things that have kept us distanced have brought us closer together. We’ve learned that while we see this planet as a huge place, it’s just a tiny blue ball in the vastness of space, and yet all of our loves and losses and hope and history are caught up on the surface of that little blue ball. In David Suzuki’s book, ‘The Sacred Balance’, he asks us to imagine a sphere the size of a basketball. Lay a sheet of tissue paper over the ball. All life on this planet of ours exists in that layer of tissue paper. As the Lakota people say, “Mitakue oyasin”: we are all related. The coming year promises to bring its own share of joys and challenges, but together we can build something beautiful.

Hugs,
M&M

P.S. So much of Christmas seems to be about gifting. We offer two thoughts from others on what gifting really means:

Embracing Gifting by Ditching Obligatory Present-Giving

from Robert Lee Fulghum: The Orange 🍊

Happy Holidays!!

Posted on December 21, 2019 by Mike Nelson Pedde — Leave a reply

Hugs,
M&M

Happy Holidays!!

Posted on December 22, 2018 by Mike Nelson Pedde — Leave a reply

Hi Folks:

Whether you celebrate Christmas or Festivus, Solstice or Saturnalia, the arrival of Sinterklaas or Grandfather Frost, Hanukkah, Mawlid Un Nabi, Kwanzaa or something entirely personal, we send you love. Create an amazing 2019!!

(Merry or Happy Christmas In Different Languages 🙂 )