Posts tagged Christmas
London’s Winter Wonderland: A Canadian’s Guide to Seasonal Magic

From Toronto to London: A Weather-Driven Journey

“I moved to London for the weather,” said no one ever—except me. As a proud Canadian, I’ve braved the infamous duo of Toronto seasons: Winter and Construction. And if I never ever again have to dig my frozen car out of several feet of snow, or toss away another pair of salt-stained boots, color me happy.

So, when I say London’s winter is a breath of fresh air, I’m not just spouting hot air!

London in December: The City That Glows

Forget about the North Pole; London in December is where the magic happens. It’s the time when the city transforms into a glittering spectacle, outshining Rudolph’s red nose. And if winter in London were a movie, it would get two thumbs up from Clark Griswold and family.

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Double Vaxed, Boosted, and Now I Have Covid. Dang!

I guess you could call this the Covid Trifecta, a perfect Covid storm. I am double vaccinated, I have had my booster, and now I have tested positive for Covid. And I, for one, am royally ticked off… not to mention surprised.

I was not one of these fearful people sprinting to get those new vaccines immediately jabbed into my arm. I am not old, vulnerable, or believe that my cause of death will read, rode the Central Line without a mask.

Nor am I an anti-vac conspiracy theorist with too much furloughed time on my hands. Convinced that the Chinese are looking to eradicate the world, the Russians are looking to control our minds, or the microchip tracking device swimming in our vaccinated veins is just waiting for a signal from the Mothership to call us all home.

The world is fearful and distrusting right now. And I, for one, get it.

Fear and distrust of the disease, and fear and distrust of the cure, and I possess neither. That doesn’t mean I am fearless. You only need to sit beside me on a plane to know that or drag me into dodgy-looking Curry House.

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Top 10 Most Incredible, Jaw-Dropping, Christmas Decorations In London’s Most Opulent Neighbourhood, Mayfair

It has been called the most wonderful time of the year. Where everything shines, sparkles, and twinkles in anticipation of the jolly old man with his sack full of gifts. But nowhere is that more evident than in London’s most prestigious neighbourhood of Mayfair. Home to Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and countless other luxury brands, galleries, and private clubs, each place seems to try and outdo the others with its lights, decor, and Christmas-inspired imagination. Tourists and locals alike take an evening stroll enjoying some of London’s most Instagram-worthy Christmas displays. So even if we can’t afford what twinkles inside, we can certainly bask in what twinkles outside.

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It's The Most Magical Time of The Year. Christmas in London 2019. There is no place on earth quiet like it.

So what if it gets dark at 3:30 in the afternoon and the nights last longer than a snowman in the artic, it is Christmas time and London is TOTALY lit. Each neighborhood has elaborately decorated their storefronts, cafes, hotels, parks, and streets as they throw festive block parties to “turn on the lights” and celebrate the arrival of the Christmas season.

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My First Christmas After Losing My Parents. Trying To Find The Season's Joy Again

Of course like most things in life I do expect that a little rain must fall but no one warned me I would have benefited greatly from building an ark. I lost both my parents in 2017.  My dad on the 2nd day in January and my mother in May on my birthday. They had been married 56 years, 4 months, 26 days. As with any loss the "firsts' of birthdays, holidays or special occasions are particular hard but when it comes to Christmas... well that was my mother's favourite time of the year and her absence is resoundingly deafening. 

So how do you do it? How do you find the joy in the holiday season after losing someone you have loved so very much?

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London At Christmas. Is There Anyplace More Magical?.... Nope!