23 December
The Delights of Anticipation
It's just a little while away.
Can you feel it? That subtle excitement increases with the hours.
Oreste, curling up in her warm, cool straw, and peering out with only half an eye, thought it was a day like any other. Today's colour palette reminds her of an Autumn day or one of the first days of spring: the sky is blue, and it's not so cold.
But then, putting out a little curled nose from the barn, she immediately sniffed that electricity in the air that no, it can't be any other day but Christmas Eve.
She can't explain how, but she senses it:
it smells Christmas.
Beyond all the preparations, sleigh, letters, training.
Beyond the tiredness and the frenzy of the moment.
It's the spirit of those around, that sparkle that shines in everyone's eyes, that shared feeling: "It's coming".
But what's coming? Who?
Of course, dear Oreste, obviously you with your Big S and his sleigh full of presents.
But really? Is that all?
No, that's not all our sweet reindeer smells. And she's sure: neither do you.
Though a certain excitement comes from this huge, mysterious surprise.
But she smells more.
She smells the desire to be together, to pause and rest, the scent of hugs between old friends, of unexpected surprises.
Whispers and attempts to be quiet, peeks, paper rustling, soft laughter, looks of understanding.
The intense desire to surprise and bring happiness.
Open hearts, bigger, breathing deeper and deciding to share moments together, welcome, take in, and notice.
And she wishes you all this.
All this magic that made her Christmas.
And she is curious, always: what is Christmas for you?
It's coming!
Useless advice
Recycle wrapping paper or magazine pages to wrap gifts.
Joulutarina
Nikolas has been orphaned, and the families of his village take turns taking care of him. Nikolas secretly carves little wooden toys to thank them, which he then gives to his new siblings.
Until one day, no one can take care of him anymore, and he is sent to live with the fierce and despotic old Iisakki, a lonely carpenter.
Will Nikolas be able to win his heart as well?
In fact, this will not stop him from continuing to carve his little gifts.
A film about Christmas, full of snow, magic and gratitude.
A tale capable of warming the heart for its simplicity and purity.
The right mix of legend and realism allows us to believe even stronger and brings us back to the roots of Christmas, dealing originally with the birth of the "Christmas Man".
On Amazon Prime Video.
Anne of Green Gables
di Lucy Maud Montgomery, Wordsworth Editions Ltd, 1999
“Christmas morning broke on a beautiful white world. It had been a very mild December and people had looked forward to a green Christmas; but just enough snow fell softly in the night to transfigure Avonlea. Anne peeped out from her frosted gable window with delighted eyes. The firs in the Haunted Wood were all feathery and wonderful; the birches and wild cherry trees were outlined in pearl; the plowed fields were stretches of snowy dimples; and there was a crisp tang in the air that was glorious. Anne ran downstairs singing until her voice reechoed through Green Gables.”
Another of Oreste's favourite stories.
A story for those who want to immerse themselves in the enchanted world of Green Gables, where every blade of grass or snowflake is pure poetry in the eyes of Anna Shirley, an imaginative and resourceful orphan girl who is adopted by the Cuthbert brothers after a misunderstanding.
We are transported to the early 1900s, to the Canadian town of Avonlea.
Together with Anna, we begin her new life, with new friendships, new adventures and above all, a new family.
Redheaded Anna will enchant you with her gab and her imagination, but above all with her misadventures and her heart of gold.
