December is both a wild, busy, and celebratory month and a time for reflection. This year holds a heaviness with the ongoing suffering of so many, but in the nature of the world we live in, life here barrels on and we’re left feeling guilt and gratitude in every breath.
If there was one word that encapsulated the essence of this month, it’s perhaps gathering. Circling a wooden board and spreading soft cheese on potato chips while catching up with friends, mingling outside of the school gym and reminiscing with parents about our kids’ friendships, or grabbing a coffee with my partner in crime marvelling at how we made it through another year of parenthood. Life is so much sweeter with the people we love and care for, and this month always reminds me of that.
With that said, let’s get into all the good stuff!
wearing
I haven’t done much shopping this December. I actually tried at the start, ordering a few “going out tops” from a couple fast fashion brands, but everything felt crappy against my skin, fit weirdly, or was definitely not something I’d wear more than a couple of times. I returned the items, and instead of buying any holiday specific outfits or tops, I found little ways to glam up the things I had. Sparkly ruby coloured earrings here, a velvet bow there.
Right now I’m much more interested in building a closet with well-made, beautiful core pieces that I can wear a hundred times. A few items I would like to add to it are: square toed black boots, a soft wool black cardigan, a heather grey oversized sweater, and a nice winter dress.
The best thing I’ve bought this month is actually a pair of grey high rise boyfriend joggers from Gap. Their petite line is perfect for me when it comes to sweats that I’m not drowning in. I can sense my winter hibernation energy wanting to run rampant. Looking ahead to the colder months, I know that I want to feel comfortable while still feeling put together. Soft pants (wool, cotton, cashmere vibes), cozy sweaters and hoodies, wool wrap jackets, toques, and warm socks like these are where my head is at. A warm weather holiday somewhere in there would be a dream, but we’ll see…
trying
My daughter is obsessed with all types of lip related balms and butters - prime tween energy right now. She was gifted these mini pots of the Laneige sleeping masks for her birthday and sweetly places a different flavour on my night stand every evening. I have to say, they're quite moisturizing, but I’m not sure they deserve the craze around them.
I’m also looking for a new matte lip colour and have been swatching a few every time I’m in my neighbourhood Shoppers. How pretty are these colours? Saie has beautiful matte colours if you’re looking.
celebrating
The end of year comes with winter concerts, holiday parties, and performances. As a mom, it’s one of those heightened parent-feeling points in the year. Days interrupted by dashing to get a good seat while your child sings and dances. Running to the grocery store to get bags of chips, candy canes, and whatever else is on the list you ignored all week. Teacher gifts, friend gifts, crossing guard gifts. It feels good to see our kids sing their hearts out and even more to say thank you to the people who’ve supported our children and family, that’s really what the season means to me.
reading
I abandoned heavy reading last month, after spending most of my reading energy on following the news - this continues. I picked up the very buzzy Everything I know about Love by Dolly Alderton for my fiction read. Her writing is smart, witty, and introspective. There’s a big focus on her partying years, but it’s followed by her reflections on what lead her down that path, which I enjoyed more than the boozy episodes. It’s also filled with loads of funny anecdotes around friendship and romantic escapades, which was the type of thoughtful escapism I was looking for.
Nedra Tawab’s Set Boundaries, Find Peace is a book I’ve been circling around for more than a year. I’ve heard many interviews and listened to snippets of the book, but I feel like you need the hard copy of a self-help book if it’s to have a lasting impact on your reality. Boundaries are something that I’ve struggled making sense of in the context of a Pakistani Muslim upbringing and values. We are there for people in our life, even if it inconveniences us - how does this work with the notion that we have the right to live life based on our needs alone? Clearly, I have loads to learn, because the one thing she clarifies is that there’s a difference between rigid and porous boundaries, and the right kind are the ones somewhere in the middle. These boundaries respect your desires but create space for exceptions and circumstances. The book is sitting on my side table and I’m so glad I bought it.
As promised last month, I did want to share my favourite reads from this year. In no particular order they were: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez, Love Marriage by Monica Ali, The Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand, and Atomic Habits by James Clear. You can’t go wrong with any of these.
Type Books is one of my favourite independent booksellers here in Toronto if you’re looking to add to your book stack and want to shop small. They can order in books for you as well.
watching
I watched American Symphony, a documentary following the musician Jon Batiste as he works on producing a symphony while his wife Suleika Jaouad is diagnosed with Leukemia. It’s about love, artistry, and resilience. If you haven’t read Suleika’s memoir Between Two Kingdoms, I would absolutely add it to your TBR list. She writes beautifully and painfully about getting sick at the age of 22 and her journey through cancer treatment. I couldn’t put it down. The film is a poignant look at their connection and lives.
Other favourites this time of year: The Holiday and The Family Stone (for me), Elf, Home Alone, and Christmas Chronicles (for the kids).
abandoning
Is this a category? I don’t know, but I’m creating it exclusively to tell you that I’m done with the Dyson Airwrap. I honestly shudder at how much money I spent on it, enticed by Tik Toks and YouTube tutorials that convinced me that I too would have the most glorious, voluminous hair if I devoted a *little bit* of time to learning the art. No, no I didn’t learn. No, I don’t have the desire or time to devote hours to figuring out the technique. No, my hair doesn’t cooperate, and no I’m not smart enough to figure out the direction the nozzle is supposed to be blowing it. It’s all been a huge waste and I’m giving it up. FIN.
moving
I recently got an online membership to Lottie Murphy Pilates. I’ve learnt that a big part of health is finding movement that resonates with you. I’ve always, always loved pilates. I love being on a mat, I love the flows, and I love how I feel after. My routine right now is to do a workout as soon as the kids go to school. Going to a studio is great, but being able to do a home workout that saves time and money is also great. I usually tack on a meditation after my workout and I just find it easy to do my whole routine from the comfort of my bedroom. Ali jokingly says I’m a recluse, but the truth is that I get very overstimulated with three kids and appreciate the quiet my days bring when everyone is at school.
cooking & baking
The best things I made this month were a slow roasted salmon for holiday bookclub, a shrimp Thai curry, a “sugar crusted cocoa banana bread” (title created by Faezan Qureshi) - a riff on my own banana bread recipe, coconut milk mashed potatoes, Broma Bakery’s chocolate chip cookies, and Ina’s chicken noodle soup.
eating & gathering
I created a list on my notes app at the beginning of the year of all the restaurants I wanted to eat at. Despite living in the city, it’s easy to get into the routine of frequenting neighbourhood spots and the same old places. Every time someone would mention a restaurant, I’d add it to the list. I’m happy to say I’ve crossed off more than half and have little notes to remind me what I liked about each one.
One spot was Milou, which I went to for dinner with a childhood friend on a quiet Monday night. It’s a cozy French bistro with a small menu. My friend told me that I needed to come back in the summer for brunch when the vibe is off the charts, tables spill out onto the sidewalk, and it’s impossible to get a table, lol. Noted!
With a larger group of friends we did an escape room, followed by Laylak, a Lebanese restaurant with delicious appetizers and hearty mains. I also went to Eataly twice, purely to be amidst the towers of Panetonne and festive energy. With the kids we did Margarita pizzas (pasta ala norma for me) followed by two scoops of gelato. On my solo day, I had a slice of roman style pizza drizzled generously with olive oil that brought me back to the summer and the streets of Rome. Even outside of the holidays, Eataly is just a happy place and I’d recommend coming down for a meal or a cappuccino.
I imagine when you receive this you’re lounging on your couch, maybe reading a book, or perhaps watching something. I really hope you have a restful few days before life starts up again, that you and your loved ones are healthy and well, and you feel hopeful about what the new year will bring.
I’ve grown a lot this year…perhaps more than any other. In 2024 I’d like to be more brave, have more clarity, and continue to explore who I can be in the world outside of motherhood. I’m curious and optimistic about how it will all play out.
Happy New Year to you and yours.
Love,
Sana
