Long stretches of warm fall weather have made our job of assembling this publication — what we usually call our “Holiday Issue”— as much of a disconnect as usual. We are always a little ahead of ourselves that way, gathering summer fashion images when there is still snow on the ground, embracing autumn themes in the heat of summer, and thinking about “the holiday season” even before Costco has set up (too soon, surely?) their aisles of Christmas-related décor, boxes of bonbons and giftwrap.
There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”
EDITH WHARTON
I trust our readers will appreciate our forecast of what they will be interested in at this time of the year. Our Holiday Gift Guide is more extensive than ever, while our fashion pages are dedicated to both holiday flair and comfy relaxation. In “Making the Case for a Simpler Holiday,” Lisa Brandt presents local experts’ tips on how to destress during what can be an anxiety-producing time for many people. Our Arts writer Kathy Navakas has included a wide range of on-theme entertainment in her “Culture Calling” column; we have enticing holiday road trip inspiration in our Travel section; and Sue Gordon chose Farmhouse Christmas to review and tested two festive recipes that might make your holiday tastier. Wrapping up this issue, in “All I Want for Christmas Is a Good Night’s Sleep,” Sue Sutherland-Wood’s wish list is as unlikely to be fulfilled as most of the myriad recipients of stocking stuffer lottery tickets will be this season. Actually, I like her odds better.
This issue marks three years for me as owner and publisher of Lifestyle. Why does it feel like I just got started? To be clear, I’m not complaining. I’ve come to expect that each month, each season, each year, will pass more quickly than the last. That’s all the more reason to take time to savour life and be thankful. As the saying goes, “It takes a village,” and the list on the masthead beside this note represents key members of my Lifestyle village. While this roll call changes and evolves over time, I especially appreciate this one.
Every business must continually adapt and pivot. With the help of a great team, we’ve made some changes and tried some new things. Most have been successful! I remain as excited and nervous as I was when I began here, and I am looking forward to the years ahead. I believe Lifestyle will continue to serve our community in much the same way.
Thanks for staying tuned to see what we do next, and we wish you and yours all the very best for a peaceful and rewarding holiday season.
Cheers,
Chris
PS. While remaining firmly committed to print, distributing our region’s highest volume per issue (20,000 copies) picked up in select locations six times a year, Lifestyle also continues to grow in the digital realm. Our new website address, lifestylemag.ca, is shorter and cleaner to assist in that growth. If you haven’t visited it recently or subscribed to our monthly newsletter, I encourage you to do so.
