I am a Christmas softie. I go for it all, Christmas hook, line and sinker. From the multi-day gorge my family calls Christmas dinner, to the inevitable snuggling in front of a fire re-watching
Love Actually,
Miracle on 34th St., or
Christmas Vacation for the umpteenth time.
One of my all-time favourite rituals is the dressing of the tree. (Barring any and all seemingly predictable fights with my husband on how the tree is not straight in its stand, regardless of how many times he turns it attempting to convince me otherwise.)
Tree-stand sparring aside, I also love the hunt for the perfect ornaments. Before
The Spirit of Christmas stores became a prevalent fixture in Calgary during the holidays, trips were taken seasonally for no other purpose than to peruse the wares of Banff’s shop.
While I no longer have to make the trip, I still love the yearly search for something new and fabulous to add to my one-of collection.
A staple the last few years has been a visit to
Rubaiyat on 17
th Avenue. A beautiful showcase of fine art, jewellery, china, and more, every December the shop is transformed into a Christmas ornament gallery, with dazzling trees and ornament displays at every turn.
Last week’s trip meant endless wide-eyed browsing, and repeat audible marvelling at the sparkling baubles I have yet to find anywhere else. My favourites this year include the remarkable mouth-blown glass ornaments by Vancouver’s
Robert Held, and the absolutely resplendent hand-crafted Christmas balls by
John Toole Designs.
I walked away with both, for myself and as gifts, since—apologies for the upcoming sappy sentiment, but ‘tis the season—their charms are too beautiful not to share. Both range in price from $20-$50/ornament, making them great keepsake gifts to beautify trees for years to come.
That is, of course, unless they are ‘accidentally’ stepped on. But that's another blog entirely...
Merry Christmas trees to all!