Exotic Flowers in Boston

I have always loved flowers from a very young age.  I’m not sure when this affair began, but my first baby pictures were always images of me crawling in my mother’s gardens and there’s one when I’m around 1 ½ years old where I’m playing with yellow daisies that lined my grandparents driveway.  It seems that my connection to the piece of the world that “grows” has been a long-standing relationship, one that seems to have blossomed throughout my entire life.  Because of this adoration, I have utilized this in several areas including three children’s tales I’ve written where all contain themes of flowers.  I also cook with flowers, decorate with flowers and often draw my favorites using charcoal.  They are everywhere around me.  Recently, another opportunity arose to express floral appreciation, one that combined two other preferred hobbies, crafting and books!

If you have kids, you’re going to really get into this art project that was shown to me by a children’s librarian.  Using pages from books that were going to be recycled (which is environmentally responsible), I could actually make roses by following only a few easy steps.  Perfect for tiny fingers, this craft is simple to do because the materials needed are inexpensive and commonly found around the house.  There’s also little mess and teaches fantastic hand-eye coordination skills.  The snowy weather is soon approaching, so read on for this perfect indoor winter art project for kids and adults!

Materials:

1. 3 pages of recycled book pages (try to find ones that have bold writing, titles, numbers and pictures.  It will make your flower more interesting looking.)
2. 1 black/brown pipe cleaner
3. 3 green pipe cleaners

   Directions:

1. Cut out shapes from the book pages that resemble petals.  Make them different sizes, using the smaller ones first for the inner bud. 
2. Take the black/brown pipe cleaner and wrap a petal around it, making sure that it curls completely around the stem.  Add more petals as you pinch the stem and the surrounding petals. Continue until they are all wrapped around forming a rose shaped head. 
3. Use one of the green pipe cleaners to secure the head around the stem by tightly coiling in a circle shape.
4. Form leaves and intertwine the last two green pipe cleaners around the stem to complete the rose.

 Suzie works in the children's department at the Westwood Public Library.

Many of you may not know this, but stuffing the perfect children’s Christmas stocking is really quite an art!  Though Santa Claus is truly the expert on this craft, sometimes he can get quite busy during yuletide season and may need some help from a few volunteer elves.   It is important to take this task seriously because stockings mark the magical charm of Saint Nick’s visit, as they are the first place  that many children check to see if he has arrived on Christmas Day.  One must be sure that if called upon to assist in this preparation, that they are ready to fill the stocking with precisely the right amount and the right variety of holiday goodies.   While candy canes, batteries and snow globes are traditionally the staples, there are other small gifts that can make the experience of your child opening their stocking a cherished memory that they will never forget. 

Toys and Trinkets

The beauty of a great Christmas stocking is not the amount of money spent on what’s inside, but the enchantment that is felt when a little hand pulls out a treat made especially for them.  Don’t be afraid to go with simplicity with items such as bookmarks, yo-yo’s and playing cards.   Matchbox cars, small stuffed animals and stickers are great fillers also that are easily bought to suit the child’s interests as well as inexpensive for our holiday budgets.  The objective is to facilitate a magical moment for the child by using simple and small presents that reflect who the child is and what their hobbies are.  Keep in mind local artisans who are usually stocked with handmade trinkets that are sure to envelope a child’s attention.

Candies

Let’s face it, candy canes are a must for Christmas.  Whether you are hanging them as ornaments on a tree or being snuck into the stocking (Santa recommends hanging the arch of the cane on the stocking for presentation value) they are an invaluable accessory due to their iatrical patterns of swirl and longevity for shelf life.  I have also found that jellybeans are a fun stocking stuffer because they are produced in cheerful colors of the rainbow as well as the fact that there is a general majority of appreciation for their sweetness.  Another suggestion is to stuff the stocking with Tic Tac boxes, which believe it or not, have made a triumphant come back in popularity.   The delicious mints are manufactured in a variety of flavors and are approved by most members of the NDA (National Dentists Association) for aiding in breadth freshness at a low calorie count. 

A Little Sprinkle of Love

Some of the most special gifts tucked inside a stocking are the ones that give a child something to look forward to.  Ticket stubs are a wonderful idea and can consist from anything to music concerts, museum passes and amusement parks to train rides, boat shows and plane boarding passes.  Other neat ways to approach this theme are brochures for a family weekend getaway at a near by hotel or gift cards to favorite restaurants or stores.  You can even make your own book of coupons that would allow a child to use them for a visit to the zoo, a bowling outing or even a free 1 night pass to get out of washing the dishes.  Whatever you select, make sure that the gesture is personalized to the particular child and watch him or her enjoy the magic of a tailored Christmas stocking stuffed just especially for them. Maybe even a short stem rose or narcissus bulb for the young gardener too.

 Suzie can be found at ther home in Westwood, MA on Christmas Eve filling stockings for her two boys awaiting Santa Claus.

Suzie Canale

Fenway Park, 2014

The Christmas season is embodied by a rich sense of love, comfort and joy which we gleefully show within our decorations, celebrations and feasts with one another.  Children in particular make this time of year especially wonderful, as they expel the enchanting spirit of “still believing”.  As parents, our own spirits are lifted because of our little one’s excitement and we relish in the fun of making every child’s wish come true.   Over time, many authors have captured these beloved aspects of Christmas by writing stories and illustrating images that not only teach the traditional customs of hanging up the lights, baking the cookies and singing the hymns to carols, but also bringing new and whimsical storylines to broaden our imaginations.  I have become a long time lover of Christmas books because of the bold coloring drawn throughout the illustrations and the beautiful magic and that is present within the pages.  My favorites are expansive, I will admit, but I’ve managed to narrow the list down to three.  Take a look and see if you can find any of your more favored holiday tales to that you read to your kids during this captivating time of year!

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Clement Clarke Moore is the distinguished poet who wrote the infamous story about the arrival of Saint Nick on Christmas Eve.  Written in 1822, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” (also entitled “A Visit From Saint Nick”) was first published in the New York Sentinel on December 23, 1823 with no accreditation to Moore, a requested condition on his behalf for having the piece featured.  Becoming a huge success, the author did not reveal his ownership of the poem until it was included in a later collection of short stories in 1844.  Over 1500 years later, “Twas the Night Before Christmas” has become a time read tradition for many of us to read on Christmas Eve where we listen to the fine words describing a special visit from Santa Claus. 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”

These were the famous words penned by Dr. Seuss which his iconic character, The Grinch, mutters as he figures out the true meaning of Christmas.   First published in December of 1957 where the stories goal was to teach children about what is really important to celebrate, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” has remained the highest requested book in bookstores and libraries during the Christmas season.  There is no denying the remarkable imagination that the author used when creating the land of Wooville, depicting a story of a mean and scary green creature who looms on the mountain tops plotting the ruination of Christmas for good.  Readers are taken through a wonderful adventure that focuses on friendship and togetherness while learning the invaluable lesson of the holiday spirit. 

Dream Snow

Eric Carle out does himself in this picture perfect wonderland created out of the idea of dreaming of snow.  Set during the wintery Christmas season, a man closely illustrated to resemble Santa Claus, drifts off to sleep where he imagines his farm covered in a blanket of snow.  When he is awakened, he sees that snowflakes are falling and he decides to go to his barn to decorate his Christmas tree.  The particularly beautiful and unique design of this story includes snowflakes placed on clear pages throughout the book, where when lifted, children can see five farm animals hidden.  Another lovely aspect is the button towards the end of the story that plays a sweet musical jingle when pushed. Eric Carle outdoes himself in this holiday classic where the images are bold and the storyline is splendidly simple Christmas tale.

Suzie lives in Westwood, Mass with her family. She has not only published four childrens books, but works in the children's department at the Westwood Public Library.

Suzie & Ryan Canale

Newbury Street, Boston 2014

                               photo credit: blogher.com

Dear Santa Claus…

It’s the way that every child starts their sacred letter to Old Saint Nick, writing down with vigor all of the toys that they wish for most on Christmas.  Dolls, Legos, bicycles, board games, books-if a child can dream about it, you can bet Santa Claus has seen it scrolled within his letters at one time or another.  Although the task seems simple to most, some little ones have trouble and are unsure of exactly how to go about this important undertaking.  One strategy is to grab a pencil and a piece of paper and begin your itemization of all the things that you want to see underneath the Christmas tree.  Clearly, this is the easiest way to go about it, but what if we could put another spin on the art of wish list writing?  Wouldn’t Santa be pleasantly surprised to open an envelope to find a unique approach to asking him for toys?  If you think your ready to “Wow” Mr. Claus with a fresh letter full of spirit and cheer, take a look at these ideas to spark things up!

Write Your Own Christmas Story

Instead of sending the big guy a list of your wants and desires, why not create your own personalized Christmas story?  Come up with a list of characters (maybe your family and friends) and a plot to tell your own yuletide tale!  Don’t worry that Santa might not know what to get you because within your narrative, you can make the toys that you want part of the story.  For example:

“Sam thought he had overslept on the most important morning of the year, Christmas of course, but as soon as he jumped out of bed, a brand new skateboard had been left for him tied with a bright red bow and a card attached reading,

“Merry Christmas, Love Santa Claus”.

Not only will you definitely give Santa a chuckle, you’ll brush up on your writing skills as well as have a fun time doing it! 

Make Your Own Collage

Yes, words get straight to the point but an artistic hand can do wonders when designing a letter to Santa.  Give him something to put a twinkle in his eye by cutting and pasting your wish list into a masterpiece full of images called a collage! This type of creative play is a lot of fun plus a great way to fine-tune motor skills and imaginative thinking.  To start, gather up magazines, newspaper inserts and printable downloads from your computer and carefully select those items that you would really love for Christmas.  Then, carefully cut out the images and paste onto a sheet of paper.  If possible, use the sturdiest available such as construction paper.  If you really want to make something special, you can paste the pictures to form a story thematic after the holiday season.  Once the collage has been produced, allow a good hour for the glue to dry before folding into an envelope for the mail.

Santa’s Mailing Address

101 St. Nicholas Drive

North Pole, AK 99705

 Suzie & Lance Canale, Westwood, MA November 2014

Suzie can be found helping her two boys write letters to Santa or in the children's department at the Westwood Public Library.

There are thousands of children’s books that are perfect for teaching the course, traditions and cuisine experienced during the holidays.  Authors have been writing for decades about wreathes hung at Christmas time, hearts drawn for Valentine’s Day and eggs decorated during Easter in the hopes to inspire excitement and a deeper knowledge for the reasons why we gather together for these festivities.  One holiday genre that possesses a sensational list of books is “The Festival of Lights” also known as “Hanukah”.  Many of the stories include extraordinary images and written phrases that explore popular customs such as lighting menorahs, spinning dreidels, making potato latkes and most importantly, celebrating love with friends and family.   Bookstores hold a wide array of authors who have accomplished this within their tales and here are three that I’ve found to be fantastic reads to honor the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

The Borrowed Hanukkah Latkes

The author, Linda Glaser, pens this witty children’s book about an entrapment plan of a girl named Rachel when she refuses to accept an elderly neighbor’s refusal to attend her family’s Hanukkah feast.   Drawn with the intricate illustrating techniques of Nancy Cote, the plot thickens when Rachel’s mother runs out of potatoes for the holiday latkes, which gives life to a brilliant idea.  The tenacious girl decides to visit the woman living next store and asks to borrow the vegetables for the mea hoping to coax the old woman by involving her in the cooking of the meal.   Although the neighbor agrees to give the ingredient to Rachel, the girl must use her cleverness to convince her that she must celebrate “The Holiday of Lights” with her entire family.   I loved this book because not only do you get a glimpse at the wonderful tradition of preparing potato latkes but you also are able to experience a smart and hilarious relationship between two unlikely but soon beloved neighbors. 

The Trees of the Dancing Goats

Patricia Polacco has done it again within the heartwarming book, “The Trees of the Dancing Goats” which explains the selflessness of a young girl named Tricia who helps her neighbors in need during the holiday season.  When the scarlet fever plagues the village, Tricia and her family are unable to enjoy their festivities knowing that everyone else cannot partake in their Christmas celebrations.  Plagued with scarlet fever and unable to decorate their houses for Christmas, Tricia and her brother sacrifice their Hanukkah presents to decorate the homes of those families which have fallen sick.  Since Tricia and her family are the only people not affected by the illness, they take it upon themselves to help those in need, thereby showing the true meaning of community.

Sammy Spider’s First Hanukkah

This is a sweet story geared towards young readers that captivates the beauty of color seen during the eight days of Hanukkah.  Written by Sylvia Rouss, this is a remarkable tale about a spider that watches Josh Shapiro during a special eight day span where he lights the candles of the menorah and receives beautifully colored dreidels.  Sad because he does not have a toy to spin, Sammy’s mother makes sure that he gets his own spun, webbed rainbow to celebrate Hanukah.  Illustrated by Katherine Kahn, the author has provided a wonderful story explaining “The Festival of Lights” and has also written a multitude of other similar tales in celebration of Jewish holidays including “Sammy the Spider’s First Shabbat” and “Sammy the Spider’s First Passover”.

 Suzie Canale, Big Red Chair, Chestnut Hill Mall

Suzie works in the children's department at the Westwood Public Library and has also written four children's books through her Beantown Tales. 

What kid doesn’t love a great holiday TV special?  I myself have fond memories of staying up a little extra late to catch some of my favorites.  Reruns were always the best where you could memorize the script and look forward to seeing the part that you couldn’t wait to watch over and over again.  Christmas stories are especially popular, adding to the child’s anticipation of Santa Claus to whoosh down the chimney with gifts.  It is an enchanting time of year when magic is everywhere, particularly in the movies and shows that we view both in the cinemas and in our own homes.  Although there’s no denying the hundreds of great children’s specials played during the last two months of the year, I have my top six that I just have to see to get me into the yuletide spirit. 

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer (1964)

A reindeer is out casted for having a bright red nose but finds a path straight to Santa when he is chosen to lead the sleigh on Christmas Eve.   Saving the day by lighting the way, this story tells a wonderful moral that sometimes the parts of us that are different are the ones that truly outshine us from the rest. The postal service this year commemorates this great flick with holiday stamps celebrating the movie. Exotic Flowers will be using these stamps on all their holiday mail.

Frosty the Snowman (1969)

A snowman comes to life when a magician loses his hat and finds itself on Frosty the Snowman’s head.  Trouble appears when Frosty’s companion gets sick from the cold and he must get her to a warmer climate other than the chilly outdoors.  Although the beloved snowman melts, Santa Claus promises to have Frosty return every winter to play with the children once again. 

How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)

All of Whoville is bursting with holiday cheer but little do they know that a terrible Grinch is plotting their ruin by planning to take their Christmas away.  After stealing the decorations, cards, presents and feasts, he is stunned to find that the village still joins together to celebrate learning the true meaning of Christmas spirit can never be broken.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

The Peanuts gang joins together again when Charlie Brown searches for a deeper understanding of what Christmas is all about.  Keeping in theme with the anti-commercialism aspect of the holiday, kids will love Snoopy’s rendition of stringing lights on top of his doghouse and Charlie’s sweet adoration for a small sapling tree. 

A Christmas Carol (1984)

“Bah Humbug” are the famous words guffawed by Ebenezer Scrooge as three ghosts visit him with visions of his past, present and future.  The miser soon learns that he is destined for doom if he does not change his stingy ways and open up his heart to the beauty of Christmas.

A Christmas Story (1983)

This is a fabulous story telling the tale of a typical family celebrating Christmas with one another.  Filled with funny bits including feasting on their holiday meal at a Chinese restaurant, the father’s awful taste in leg lamps, bunny rabbit pajamas, getting tongues stuck to icy telephone poles and the famous scene when Ralphie shoots his eye out with a Beebe gun-you will love this movie as it reminds us of the bloopers that commonly occur during the Christmas season. 

 If you want to just tune in, check out ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas.

 Suzie Canale

Fenway Park, 2014

Suzie lives in Westwood, MA and will be watching these shows with her two boys; creating lifetime memories.