December 24, 2008
London, ON

Gentle Readers and Bestest Friends,

Bonsoir from swiftly-melting snowbound suburbia. I’m hiding away in my chamber at the Sweetland ranch, post family bonding and pre sugarplum fairy. Looking up from my nest on the white sheepskin rug I see a sky of glow-in-the-dark stars shining on walls I painted black in grade nine. I’ve spent a lifetime of Christmas Eves in this room, and somehow they all feel the same … How is it that the dark seems darker and the night more silent than on every other eve of the year? Nostalgia is a powerful magician and tonight I am his willing daughter. Against the wall, between the lamp and the Fender Deluxe Reverb is the shelf of ancient Sweetlandish manuscripts. Thirty-five journals and diaries (what I call “the archives”) have trapped my words and secrets in time and space for over twenty years. Every so often I do this thing I call “This Day in Time” where I go back and look though all my journals for entries on that day in any particular year. Tonight the ghost of Christmas past was calling my name and I knew I was going on a trip to sweet memoryland.

Twenty–three years ago on this day I was writing about chocolate, and Remington Steele. Ten years ago, a recipe for Pad Thai. Fourteen years, a note scrawled in a hotel room in the dark. Twelve years, lyrics to Richard Shindell’s song “Nora.” I have shivers just thinking of the melody as he sings of those angels “trumpeting in ecstasy!” Six years ago I wrote an epic tale after dreaming I was with Harry Potter on a class trip to an otherworld demon dimension. Somehow Mulder and Scully got involved and thank the goddess we all saved the world in the end! Five years ago I penned a hilarious letter to Santa and two years ago a workaholic list of things to do. And most importantly, seventeen years ago I wrote myself a whole page of wishes. #1 read: Never give up on your musical dreams. Keep writing songs! My ghost of Christmas past would be proud to know I never gave up. And most likely never will.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m expecting a visitor to drop down the chimney any minute. If it all goes well he’ll be tall, dark, handsome and carrying a chilled bottle of Veuve-Clicquot.

Thanks Santy … and Bless Us Every One.

Love,

K

December 24, 2005
London, ON

Merry Ho, my sweet ones. Home with the family and going out to Michael's on the Thames for a super-fancy Christmas Eve dinner. It raineth in a very un-Christmaslike manner. I am fully in the spirit regardless. Ho ho. Going to Toronto tomorrow to make a Tofurkey feast. yeah, baby.

At Call the Office, London ON at a Lindy Show...

December 24, 2004
Victoria, BC

A very merry Ho to you all.
I'm now happily settled into my beautiful new little apartment (at least for a while...) and am getting ready to seriously enjoy the festive merriment encroaching! Making cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes and there'll likely be a Tofurkey involved too.... Mmmm fake meat. And my personal very favourite addition to the festive libation department this season is Flaming Glogg. It's a Swedish hot mulled spicy wine that must certainly have magical curing properties, I know it. Try it yourselves:

Flaming Glogg

1 bottle red wine
Aquavitae of choice (brandy, whisky, yada ya)
Snert of fresh lemon juice
Cinnamon sticks
Cloves
Allspice
Orange Peel
1 cup raisins
inf1 cup almonds
Sweetener of choice (I like honey.)

Put wine, spices, orange peel, raisins and almonds in pot. Simmer 'till almost boiling. Serve warm. Strain if ye like. Don't forget to drop some raisins and almonds into each glass. Mmmm.

Adieu adieu, and happy drinking...