CHEERS!

The start of the Christmas holiday is here. Snow is falling in Waterloo, where we'll be spending time with family and friends. My wish is for a white Christmas. No matter what you celebrate at this time of year, I wish you all a wonderful holiday. And, I just want to say thank you for taking time to visit me at Monkey's Muse. I love getting each and every email and comment that you send me so please don't be shy!

And now here's a song to start you on your festivities. This is one of my most favourite pop holiday songs -- it's Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney.

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COZY LEGGINGS FOR MONKEY

How cute are these leggings? Noé & Zoë, one of my favourite kids' clothing lines, and Tannhauser, a children's wear brand based out of Scotland, recently collaborated to create sweet, wearable pieces for little ones. The collaboration combines the whimsical prints from Noé & Zoë with Tannhauser's high-quality and sustainable pieces. Paired with a grey sweater, I think I've found the perfect Christmas outfit for Monkey! You can find these pieces at Advice from a Caterpillar in Toronto (on sale for 40% off) and soon on the Tannhauser online shop.

Monkey gave them a thumbs-up -- he even shared with his good friend Rufus ...

FILM: TAKE THIS WALTZ

This past weekend we watched Take This Waltz, a romantic comedy-drama written and directed by Sarah Polley. It's been on my must-see movie list for a while now. It's about a young woman who seems to be drifting through life unsure of who to be, where to go and what to do.

Toronto sets the scene for this sad love story. My beloved neighbourhood is captured from the dog park and swimming pool at Trinity Bellwoods Park to Swan (one of my favourite local restaurants) and the quaint residential streets of Little Portugal. It was a visual love story to Toronto. I'll overlook the one anomaly -- you can't run from Little Portugal to the Beaches. You could, but it would take you a long, long time and you would be really sweaty.

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HOLIDAY HAIR INSPIRATION

This is such a pretty hairstyle. It's called the Gibson Roll and you can find a step-by-step tutorial at A Cup of Jo (along with 13 other hair tutorials). It is super easy to do. I promise, even I was able to recreate this style.

Don't you think this would be beautiful for holiday festivities?

 (Images and idea found at A Cup of Jo)

RECIPE: THUMBPRINT COOKIES

I'm on a cookie-making spree. Maybe it's the holidays, but more than likely it's because I love cookies. Plain and simple. On a recent baking date with friends we made this easy recipe for Thumbprint cookies (we modified it a bit). The kids loved mixing the dough, sneaking little bits and stabbing their fingers to make room for the sweet jam.

Ingredients:
1 cup almonds
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup whole spelt flour
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons fruit juice sweetened jam

Preheat oven to 350°F. Put almonds and oats in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and add flour, oil, syrup and salt. Stir to combine well.

Roll walnut-sized balls of the dough in the palm of your hand to form each cookie, then arrange on two large baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart.

Press your thumb gently down into the centre of each cookie to make an indentation. Spoon a bit of jam to fit each indentation. NOTE: we ran out of jam so we added a cranberry and two dark chocolate chips to each cookie and that was just as tasty.

Bake cookies until golden brown and just firm around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

THIS WEEKEND

During the past week, we were reminded of just how precious moments are spent with good friends and family. It is easy to get caught up in the circus of daily life, but it is your relationships and your shared memories that matter most in the end. Be kind to those around you. This weekend we will be doing just that as we spend time with friends and family.

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RECIPE: SWEET POTATO LATKES

This past weekend we did the White Elephant Gift Exchange at a potluck party. It was super fun and I was lucky to walk away with Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast from Martha Stewart Living (sorry, Michelle!). The first recipe I tried for sweet potato latkes was a hit. Potato latkes are traditionally eaten during Hanukkah, so now is a perfect time to share this new recipe with you.

Ingredients:
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled (I used 3 medium sweet potatoes)
3 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Coarse salt (to taste)
Freshly ground pepper (to taste)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Sour cream, for serving (optional)

Coarsely grate sweet potatoes. In a large bowl, mix grated sweet potatoes, scallions, eggs, flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Measure each latke using a packed 1/4 cup. Form each latke into a firm ball with your hands, then flatten to 3/4 inch thick.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium until shimmering. Place 6 latkes (or however many your skillet will hold) and flatten to 1/2 inch thick. Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer latkes to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.

Enjoy with a side of sour cream ... for dipping as Monkey likes to say.

Serves 4.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2012: FOR HIM

Now it's time to give a little gift-giving inspiration for the men on your list ...

1. Zipped wool sweater ($285)
2. Simon Carter watch ($130)
3. Socks ($20)
4. Conde Nast Traveler: 25 Years of Photography ($60)
5. Horn bottle opener ($28)
6. Magic Cube Laser Projection Keyboard ($200)
7. Weekender bag ($329)
8. Doppler by Erlend Loe ($15)
9. Gramophone for iPhone ($250)

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2012: FOR THE KIDDOS

And now, some gift-giving inspiration for those special little ones in your life ...

1. Deep Into The Forest diorama ($35)
2. Nordic sock slippers ($35)
3. A banjo ($30)
4. Monkey hand puppet ($30)
5. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen ($14)
6. Modelling beeswax ($30)
7. Nightlight that creates a magical starry night ($180)
8. Blabla Dog ($55)
9. Bat hat ($55)
10. Floor puzzle ($20)
11. Whittle World School Bus Set ($25)
12. Crazy Forts ($45)
13. Angel Wing Sweater ($95)

FREAKS AND GEEKS REUNION

Did you watch Freaks and Geeks? It was brilliant and hilarious in its depiction of teenage angst in the suburbs. It's still one of my favourite TV shows. So, you can imagine my smile when I saw the cast and crew reunited 12 years later for Vanity Fair's first-ever comedy issue, edited by Judd Apatow (the show's executive producer).

If you were a fan, check out creator Paul Feig's predictions on what could have been the show's second season (yes, sadly there was only one season).

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MONKEY'S FIRST SUBWAY RIDE

Which way to the trains?!

Waiting patiently for the train

Monkey had an exciting day today. He took his very first subway ride on the TTC. He discovered that trains travel underground along the very streets he walks each day. It blew his sweet mind.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2012: FOR HER

To continue with this year's Holiday Gift Guide, I've searched for some gift-giving inspiration for the women in your life ...

1. Polka-dot cashmere sweater ($310)

2. Silver and turquoise earrings ($115)
3. Double wrap bracelet ($150)
4. The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook ($35)
5. Ela leather clutch ($328)
6. Kate Spade iPhone case ($40)
7. Leather and wool gloves ($95)
8. Pretty serving bowls ($10 each)
9. See the World Beautiful by Anne Menke ($60)
10. Gingham flannel pajama set ($100)
11. Minnetonka slippers ($60)

P.S. You can also check out Holiday Gift Guide 2012: Host for more gift-giving inspiration.