Wednesday, November 17, 2010

It's beginning to feel a lot like...

blank canvas: rockefeller center circa 2006
I know it's still only November, but I'm already getting giddy thinking about the holiday season. This year, I will finally have my very own Christmas tree! Growing up in a Hindu family, we didn't celebrate Christmas [though we took advantage of the Boxing Day sales!], and I did exchange gifts with friends and spent a lot of time at my cousin's place, whose house was always festive and traditional.

E grew up celebrating Christmas, and though we both don't like the commercial aspect of the holiday, we are excited to begin our own family traditions and continue those he shared with his family.

To jumpstart my ornament shopping, I joined the lovely Micaela's Ornament Swap! I was paired up with a fellow Canuck, Erin and after perusing her fantastic blog, I set out today in search of the perfect adornment for her tree. As I was walking along Queen St West in downtown Toronto I stumbled upon a fabulously ornate store called Ten Thousand Villages.

From their website:
"Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit Fair Trade Organization (FTO). FTOs are non-governmental organizations designed to benefit artisans, not to maximize profits. They market products from handicraft and agricultural organizations based in low-income countries, providing consumers with products that have been fairly purchased from sustainable sources."
I only had about 20 minutes before my parking meter ran out, so I had to move fast. [I have bad luck with trying to outrun meter-maids...] TTV had so many gorgeous ornaments decorating their faux trees that it was hard to narrow down my choices, but in those 20 minutes I managed to collect about 20 beautiful, handmade embellishments that would be perfect on almost any evergreen.

I can't share my wares just yet because I want Erin to be surprised when she receives her swap package, but as soon as my tree is up and decorated, I will be sure to post it here.

Do you celebrate Christmas? What are your holiday traditions? Have you started any of your own?
one of the ornaments i had to pass up...though i may go back for him b/c he's utterly adorable!

4 comments:

Kimia Kline November 18, 2010 at 7:33 PM  

oh. my. that little squirrel ornament is THE cutest thing i have ever seen for a xmas tree!!! definitely go back for it!!

Erin {pughs' news} November 18, 2010 at 8:22 PM  

Ooh! Am very excited! Your ornaments are coming from Etsy (I got the email yesterday to say they're on their way to me) and I can't wait for them to arrive so I can wrap them up all beautifully and send them to Toronto. I can't believe it's your first ever Christmas tree! I feel pretty special that a few of your very first ornaments will be from me. I just know you'll love them!

Oh, and I love Queen Street West. It's been such a long time since I've strolled along it, but it was a part of Toronto I always loved...

Karina Pacheco November 18, 2010 at 10:20 PM  

Oh what beautiful ornaments *sigh* I want to go to Ten Thousand Villages
: D and buy some of those cute ornaments!

I believe the roaches in New York are mutations of some sort *shuddering* very vomiting-inducing : )

sheba November 20, 2010 at 9:29 PM  

@kimia, it was hard to pass it up, but it just gives me reason to return. ;)

@erin, i hope it's ok if i send your ornaments when i get back from missouri. i want to make sure they are safely and gorgeously packaged for you. and when you're in TO next, we'll have to meet up for a queen west shopping date!

@karina, mutations for sure! if you come to toronto, i'll be sure to take you to ten thousand villages.

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