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We all like a good gadget, don't we?  Well, I know I do and my husband loves to watch infomercials and see all the new and exciting gadgets out there too.

Today, I am going to tell you about two new and exciting Canadian-made gadgets - the Rim Roller and the Powerstick.

Have you tried and tried to roll up those rims on cups for those contests?  I know I have... I even resorted to tearing it up with my teeth.  Well, thanks to a handy new gadget called the Rim Roller, those days are now over!  The Rim Roller, is a great invention from Paul Kind, the owner of Novel Solutions.  The Rim Roller was even featured on the CBC television show Dragon's Den on October 6, 2008.

The Rim Roller is so simple to use too...just push and pull!  It even has a handy key ring attached so it can be with you all the time. 

The Rim Roller is a great Canadian gadget - invented by a Canadian and even manufactured in Canada.  Why not pick one up for your favourite Aunt or Uncle?

Another great Canadian gadget is the Powerstick.  The Powerstick is a portable charger for mobile devices such as mp3 players, mobile phones, BlackBerry, PDAs, ipods, iphones and other mobile devices.

 

The Powerstick was the winner of the CES Award for best innovation.  It is a green charging solution...there are no disposable batteries or wall chargers involved.  It is charged on any USB port, including those found on a laptop.  It is the size of a stick of gum so it is very portable and convenient as well.

The Powerstick is another great example of a cool Canadian gadget.  To find out more about the Powerstick, visit their website here.

These are just a couple of great Canadian gadgets we have discovered, and we here at buycanadianfirst.ca are always on the look out for fantastic new products.  Stay tuned!

Gong Hei Fat Choi (congratulations and be prosperous!)

The New Year is a very special time and one of the most important holidays for the Chinese people. Traditionally, it is a time to be in honor of Heaven and Earth, the Gods of the household and the family ancestors. Equally as important is to spend time with family and it is common for these festivities to last up to 30 or 40 days in order to be able to travel and visit with all loved ones.

There are 15 days of the New Year beginning with the 1st day of the lunar month (Chinese calendar) and ending on the 15th with the lantern festival.

• The first day is for the welcoming deities of the heavens and earth, and begins at midnight. It is customary to abstain from eating meat on this day to ensure a long life. It is also considered bad luck to use knives or light fires so food is cooked the night before and leftovers consumed this day. This day is also for visiting the elders of the immediate family; parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents. Fireworks are customary on this day but are wildy banned due to fires. However several urban areas have compromised by hosting government run pyrotechnic displays. Some families hire lion dance troops to come, in the North it is mostly for entertainment while to the South it is preformed to vanquish evil spirits and summon good fortune. People also give each other red envelopes containing money for promoting good luck.
  

• On the second day it is customary for married daughters to visit their families, as traditionally they are unable to see them as often throughout the year. It's also a day to be especially kind to dogs with scrumptious meals and more as it is believed to be all dogs' birthdays.
  
• For some, the third day is allocated to visiting graves, for others it is a day for husbands to visit with the in-laws (ironic isn't it?).
  
• The fifth day is the birthday of the God of wealth and it is said to be unlucky to visit with anyone on this day.
  
• The seventh day is humankind's birthday and everyone grows another year older, it is customary to eat uncut noodles for a long life and raw fish for success.
  
• On the fifteenth day, candles are lit in windows to guide wayward spirits home and people walk in the streets with lanterns for the festival. The 15th day usually signifies the end of the New Year's celebrations.

 The Chinese Zodiac is run on a 12-year cycle, with each of year named after one of the original 12 animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig). Each animal has a different personality and different characteristics, and believed to give each person's their traits, success and happiness for their lifetime.

This year marks the year of the ox and symbolizing prosperity through hard work and strength. Those born under the ox are generally calm, dependable, patient and tenacious. They are patient, but once angry and incensed it will be difficult to reason with them, they also have a propensity to hold grudges. An ox would be happier if they developed their sense of humor.

 

Red is considered a happy color and certain to bring the wearer bright future it is also a favorable color to wear for the celebrations. Join in the fun and enjoy wearing some red yourself, like this RCMP t-shirt or this cute Roots Kenora striped scarf. Don't forget to dress up your dog too. Check out this red vest, also by Roots .

May the Star of Happiness, the Star of Wealth and the Star of Longevity shine on you

Photos - Flickr - Creative Commons: Knightmare6, Bfishadow

Winter is only long if you don't have fun.

After sitting through a week of deep freeze temperatures in the mid -40 degrees Celsius it was nice to have a respite of mild weather to get {the toddler} back outside. She likes to go for a stroll on a nice crisp day. We put on our toques, cover our faces, say ‘brrr' as we giggle about the cold and occasionally she will poke the snow and lick the flakes off her mitten. Canadians don't have to stray too far from their homes or communities to have a great time outdoors.

The first step to playing in the snow is to ensure you have the proper attire, staying comfortable in any environment is vital for a good experience. Stanfield's offer you a great selection for the foundations of your winter wardrobe. Long underwear as well as undershirts is available in wool, cotton, polartherm and 50/50 blends. Dressing in layers is wise as it traps warm air between the layers keeping you warm.

 There are lots of local and rural activities we all share. Call your local community center or municipality, look in your local newspaper or find your city's web site for trails, rinks, sledding hills and other activities. Here is a list of some of the many outdoor fun ideas to spark your imagination and give you some incentive to head out the door.

• Snowmobiling
  
• Snowshoeing- check out the great selection of Canadian-made Faber Snowshoes available for the regular to extreme snowshoer

• Ice skating (make your own backyard skating rink)
• Snowball fight
• Making a snow fort
• Ice fishing
• Skiing
• Tobogganing
• Sleigh rides
• Dog sled rides
• Snow angels
• Snowman building

Playing outside in the snow is great fun but sometimes winter brings us surprises like a quick change in the weather or power outages, in these occurrences, one can be at risk for frost bite and hypothermia. Frostbite usually affects the areas of your body with the least amount of circulation, the cold constrict the blood vessels leaving your skin at risk.

The 4 stages of frostbite are:

1. Pink or redness on the skin
2. Pain in affected areas
3. White waxy patches of skin appear - the skin is drying
4. Prickles - the area is numb

To prevent frostbite keep your skin covered especially your fingers, cheeks ears head and nose. Ensure your feet are warm and dry wearing proper winter boots and thick socks. Stay inside on days with weather warnings and high wind chills. In case of frostbite follow these first aid tips: Do not rub area it may damage it more, warm affected areas slowly with warm (not hot) heat, if you see white or grey patches or the re-warmed area is still numb seek medical attention immediately!

Hypothermia is when your body temperatures dip dangerously below normal and starve your brain of oxygen. Five groups are at most risk the elderly, infants, homeless, outdoor sport enthusiasts and outdoor workers, usually due to a lack of proper clothing or food. Signs of hypothermia include the ‘umbles' some who mumbles, stumbles and/or fumbles objects, infants will appear pink and listless. To help a hypothermic victim, remove all wet clothes, give warm beverages and wrap in blankets and keep them warm finally get medical attention.

Winter is a fact of life in our climate and to simply hibernate the whole winter away is a waste of valuable fun time! So check your newspapers for events call your rinks for public skate time and gather your friend for a weenie roast and toboggan races, winter lasts but a few months get out and enjoy it!

To quit smoking is, at best, excruciating. My husband is going through the process right now, he doesn't want to be a smoker anymore but he is battling to win against his own justifications to have another smoke or drag. I asked him for a thought about quitting smoking and of all of them this, to me, describes the hold that smoking has on him and potentially every other smoker out there {you} wanting to quit.

The phrase "cold turkey" scares the s*** outta me...if I thought for one second that there is absolutely no cigarettes left on the planet. I would panic and go crazy...just talking about it is making me shake.

I root for my husband everyday and know that he will win this one on his own terms.

 

Prior to writing this post I was going to throw at you all the statistics, health concerns, death tolls and fires that are associated with or caused by smoking. After looking online for information I realized that perhaps that was not the best format. You see I am a non-smoker now and have been for the last year, had I looked online a year ago to find information to help me quit smoking, I may have lost hope. There is so much to sift through: charity sites, organizations, pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, personal blogs, quit smoking coaches and more. In fact so much so that I closed down my web browsers to regroup and start anew today. Instead I am going to organize these links into something that you can sink your teeth into and find what you need fast.

Health Canada has a comprehensive site helping you through your quit smoking journey. They will walk you through: getting ready to quit, quitting now and staying quit. Health Canada has a step-by-step guide to get you prepared for your quit day and an online self help program, two great pages to start with.

The Lung Association of Canada has an easy to view and navigate site with valuable information and links. One of their quit smoking tools is to get help and support to increase your chances of success. Talk to your doctor, community nurse, or your local lung association for programs, services, events and support.

The Canadian Cancer Society is another complete help guide with a helpline, online community and booklets. The Smokers' Helpline is a free, confidential telephone service for smokers who want to quit, are thinking about quitting, have stopped smoking and need support, and for those who don't want to quit, says the website. The Society also has online help, it's free to sign-up and you are able to join the forums, have a quit meter that calculates the money you've saved and your health benefits based on your quit date, quit buddies and inspirational emails. There are the 3 work booklets: One for the smoker who doesn't want to quit, one for the smoker who does and one for those who want to help others. They are available online, in pdf formats or you can fill out a form to receive a mailed copy.

It is said that only 5% of people who quit without help will succeed. In clinical trials, people receiving a 12-week course of CHAMPIX, a stop-smoking-aid developped by Pfizer Canada, nearly quadrupled the likelihood of quitting smoking compared with those taking placebo. CHAMPIX is not a nicotine replacement but targets the nicotine receptors to reduce cravings. Talk to your doctor about it.

Ubi-soft developed, in conjunction with the Allen Carr's experts, My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr. Choose your personal coach then get advice and tips based upon your smoking habits, only for your Nintendo DS.

Some people feel great pride in quitting and they totally should. I am thankful that I can look at my children and ask them to never start and not feel like a hypocrite. I am thankful because I will be a that much healthier as I get older. I am thankful that I can enjoy the taste of a freshly brewed cup of coffee. I am also happy that my husband has decided to quit and grateful that our eldest will remember our experiences and how we struggled and hopefully make different choices later on.

I quit because it was the right time for me, when's your quit date?

Image source: Flickr, Creative Commons - biwook

The other day when I went to my mailbox, I was greeted with a surprise. Well, besides after Christmas bills that is. I received my first seed catalogue. Funny, you might say, to get a seed catalogue in winter, right? Quite the opposite to me actually! I was quite excited to see it. They do arrive in the winter so that you can plan and have your seeds ready by the spring.

To me, gardening is the ultimate in eating local. I mean, growing your own garden filled with healthy vegetables is one of the most rewarding things that anyone could do. You have absolute control over the varieties grown and the gardening practices. You know exactly what is put into that row of carrots or tomato from the vine. 

What better way to feed your family than to grow your own produce? Children love to see how things work and watching them help tend to a garden or plant is wonderful. My daughter has her own special row in my garden where she has a little bit of everything growing. She loves to see the seeds sprout and harvest the vegetables later in summer.

I have what most would call a very large garden, well, my garden alone is probably as big as most city house lots. So I am lucky, I can grow exactly what I want and don't have to worry about space issues at all. But, if you live in an apartment or house with a small yard, you can still grow your own vegetables on a smaller scale.

There are container varieties of plants. Strawberries to cucumbers to tomatoes and peppers and even blueberries can be grown in a container situation. Many seed companies sell these varieties. Just ask at your local nursery for varieties suitable to where you live. They often sell plants already started for container gardens.

McFayden Seeds is a Canadian Seed Company that has been operating since 1896.  Originally based out of Winnipeg but now out of Brandon, Manitoba, McFayden serves several customers by mail order. I personally use this company for my seed purchases and do find they have great customer service.  You can request a catalogue from them here. Just click on the request a 2009 catalogue link.

Try your hand at growing something this spring. You may be surprised at the joy you will hopefully get from it... Not to mention fresh and delicious produce all summer long!

 Image source: Flickr Creative Commons - Tina Farthing

For most of us, the gloominess we feel during the cold months are known as the 'winter blues', but for 2 to 3 percent of Canadians, these feelings are a more severe form is gloom known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD for short). The Canadian Mental Health Association's website offers some very useful information about who is at risk and what the symptoms to look for are.

There are many, many small things we can do to help reduce our winter blues, which is a mild form of SAD. Today I will share five easy ones:  

1. Exercise - This seems quite obvious but to many it's not something they like to partake in the winter. A brisk walk everyday for at least 30 minutes is all it takes. Just keep moving. The main thing is to be outside during the day (between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm) and dressed warmly. Don't forget to keep your head covered. People often forget that 30 to 50 percent of our body heat is lost through our heads.
2. Diet - The cold weather often makes us want to stay inside and we become bored. Then, we want to eat because it seems that there is nothing else to do. High sugar foods make us want to eat even more as it leaves us unsatisfied.  It does temporarily lift us but that high soon plummets leaving us feeling very down. A diet low in refined sugars can help this. Limiting caffeine and alcohol is also very important.
   
3. Vitamins and supplements - There are some vitamins and supplements that can help reduce the winter blues. These are specifically vitamin D and the B complex vitamins. St. John's Wort is a supplement known to help as well. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
4. The Spa - Pampering yourself is always a pick-me-up, so visit a local spa. If the holidays have left you budget conscious, why not create a spa environment at home?  It can be as simple as a hot bath with Epsom salts and a few drops of a relaxing essential oil such as lavender, or check out the insanely affordable selection of bath products from LUSH. They have a great set called Relax, Take a Bath.  A while back, I wrote an post on winter skincare that was full of tips. You can read it here.
5. Learn a new hobby - It is always fun and rewarding to learn something new and it is sure to liven up your spirits. Search within your city for available classes (the YMCA is always a good place to start) or pick up a book at your local bookstore or library and teach yourself something new that way.  A few winters ago, I taught myself how to knit and now enjoy it very much. 

Since the lack of sunlight is the main culprit in bringing us down during the cold months, you should also consider changing your furniture around, placing chairs and sofas near windows, keeping your curtains open during the day. But if your symptoms are more severe, please consult your physician for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.

We just have to be patient a lil' while longer. Spring will be here before we know it!

 Image source: Flickr's Creative Commons Laszlo-Photo

I think I may be beginning to disappear.

Canadian Sarah Polley wrote and directed the movie Away from Her, based upon the short story The Bear Came over the Mountain by author Alice Munro. It is a heart touching love story dealing with memory and marriage where married couple Fiona (Julie Christie) and Grant (Gordon Pincent) can no longer ignore that she has Alzheimer's. Filmed in southern Ontario and winner of 7 genie awards, this film is a glimpse into the lives of couples living with the disease.

Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease that destroys the brain and impairs memory and thinking it is also the most common form of dementia. In 1906 Dr Alois Alzheimer discovered the disease as well as two key characteristics; plaques and tangles. Plaques form when abnormal clusters of protein fragments called beta-amyloid cluster together, it is believed that they prevent the cell to cell synapse communication and signal the immune system to devour the damaged cells. Tangles destroy the vital cell transport systems made of proteins. The system is organized in parallel strands delivering nutrients, cell parts and other important materials, these lines are held together with the protein tau. The tau collapses and twists where the tangle is forming, the strands are no longer able to stay straight, they fall apart and disintegrate, nutrients and other essentials can no longer pass through the cells and they eventually die. Over time the brain mass with shrink affecting how it functions.

A recent study estimates that 500,000 Canadians are living with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia of that 71,000 people are under the age of 65 and 50, 000 of those are under 60, this is clearly a concern for us all.

The Alzheimer's society of Canada has a few other startling statistics;

• Women make up 72% of those living with the disease
• In 5 years another 250,000 Canadians could develop Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia
• Within a generation, 25 years, the number could skyrocket to 1-1.3 million Canadians

There is no cure for Alzheimer's.

Brain Health
Genetics and age are 2 risk factors that we haven't control over, but that shouldn't prevent you from following these simple guidelines to maintaining your brain health, and possibly preventing the onset of Alzheimer's.

• Challenge yourself - Just as exercise improves the body, thinking improves the brain, it is that simple. Researchers have shown that learning new things, changing routine and mental exercises cause new synapses and pathways to grow in the brain. Play number games, like Sudoku, try to finish a cross-word puzzle, learn to play an instrument, take a course, memorize new recipes before you start to cook it, attend cultural events and gallery shows or even make it a point to memorize phone numbers. Ubisoft, a premier developper and manufacturer of video games, whose think-tank is located in Montreal, has a great selection to choose from - for all ages. Try Prince of Persia, a non linear adventure game where you make up the story (available for all systems).

• Be socially active - Studies show that people who regularly socialize with others maintain their brain functions better than those who don't. Accept invitations as well as invite others, strike up conversations with people you meet throughout your day, practice random acts of kindness, and volunteer your time.

• Eat well - It is no secret that a well balanced diet can; elevate energy levels, reduce the risk of diabetes and stroke and improve general health but it is also a benefit to the brain. Enjoy a variety of foods; whole grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products and lean proteins. Maintain a healthy body weight with physical activity and well balanced diet. Limiting salt, caffeine and alcohol is also good practice. It has become much easier to buy healthy foods but eatit.ca has made it nearly effortless. Eat it is your online organic grocery store; based out of Winnipeg they will deliver your non perishable groceries to you all across Canada, should you live within a few hours you can order perishables as well. Offering you several Canadian items including a made in Manitoba section.

 

Being physically active, reducing stress, protecting the head from injury are also good preventative measures and being wise about our choices; Avoid smoking, drug use and excessive drinking, get regular check ups, enjoy a good nights rest to help with your memory and mood.

How can we help?
You can make a difference by donating money, volunteering your time, or giving a future gift to the society in your Will. There are also events that happen throughout the year that you may be available to participate in, be sure to check your local calendar (British Columbia/Yukon, Alberta/NWT, Saskatchewan, Manitoba/Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia).

To learn more about Alzheimer's please visit the Alzheimers Society of Canada

Environment Canada tells me that nearly every region of our country is freezing cold. For those of you who are like me will understand how easy it is to watch the days go by in the comfort of my home, keeping warm by the fire with my family and critters, eating, painting, laughing and hibernating. Alas I am not a bear, it is winter and I am Canadian girl of hardy canuck stock. Any day, winter or summer, is as good day to go outside!

The winter playground in Canada is a vast and endless and whether you wish to play in your backyard, go on the town or venture off and have a quaint, crazy or somewhere in between adventure, this vast country has it all!

On the town
Canada is filled with a plethora of local small events as well as grand winter festivals from coast to coast, offering you fun filled days and nights of activities, music and vittles.

Carnival de Québec is the planet's largest winter carnival and rated third in the world after Rio and New Orleans! This rowdy tradition was practiced by the French colonists of New France to get together before lent to eat, drink and have fun from late January to mid February. In 2009 this 17 day carnival begins on January 30 and offers a broad range of events and activities for everyone including; dog sled rides, a 500 ft zip line, evening dance parties, arctic spa, ice tower and so much more. This site is available in English & en français. Why not be first in line to get your official made in Québec carnival hat by shopping online.

 
The Bon Soo Winter festival of Sault Ste. Marie has been running since 1964. The cute mascot was created by local graphic designer and artist Ken McDougall. I spoke with Anna Lise, Events Manager of the Bon Soo festival, she said that the BonSoo Icon in Sault Ste. Marie "is bigger than santa!" The festival runs February 6-15 with a great collection of indoor and outdoor events, including the very popular polar bear swim, brr.

Winterlude or Bal de Neige is held from February 6-22 in Ottawa and Gatineau, who partner together and create a celebration of winter. Treat yourself to 3 weeks of activities ranging from ice fishing to elegant winemakers dinner. There are ice playgrounds, a valentine's ball, skating on the Rideau Canal, a B-Boy/B-Girl battle and so much more! Young, old, hip or square this festival is for you! The site is available in both English & en français and is easy to navigate, go and enjoy yourself in Canada's capital region.

Le Festival du Voyageur held in St. Boniface Manitoba from February 13-22, in Winnipeg's French quarter. It celebrates Canada's Fur trading history as well as the unique French heritage and culture with song, art, music, entertainment, crafts, events and displays. The site is available in English & en français and don't forget your ceinture fléchée.

 

Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad a celebration of the contemporary imagination. The first time an Olympic winter games hosted a cultural Olympiad 2 years before the games. From February 1 through to March 1 the Olympiad venues can be found from Coquitlam to Whistler, offering an extravaganza of entertainment and artistic disciplines. The site has an efficient event locater, is available en français and hosts an online shop where I found these beautiful Vancouver 2010 thunderbird recycled glass salad servers.

 

Snow King Winter Festival of Yellowknife NWT is held from March 1st-28th in Great Slave Lake. Meet the Snow king and play in his castle made of snow and ice, enjoy live entertainment, a café and other festivities. The planning has begun and you can check out the progress as well as enjoy yesteryear photos on site!

Part 2 of the outdoor winter series will be all about enjoying the outdoors in your back yard and neighborhood.

What are you doing to make the Winter go by faster? 

The twelve days of Christmas is a song we are all familiar with but what is that all about. Long ago time was measured by both the sun and the moon. The solar calendar year gave us 365 ¼ days while the lunar calendar year was 354, an 11 ¼ days (or 12 for convenience) difference. Those 12 days are from December the 26th through to January 6 and in Canada 6 of those days are celebrated (Boxing day, Holy Innocents Day, New Year's Eve, New Years Day, Twelfth night and Epiphany). Traditionally, because of these 12 odd days, people were also known to behave peculiarly; banging pots and pans, wearing costumes and other tomfoolery! These fun practices can still be seen as Belsnicklers in Nova Scotia and Mummers in Newfoundland where people wear masks, play tricks, sing songs and ask for candy! On her Majesties ships stationed in Esquimalt BC if at sea on Christmas day the lowest ranking official gets to be captain for the day!

Day of the Holy Innocents is recognized on December 28th and is a blessed day for children in the Christian church. King Herrod the Great, concerned about his status when it was learned that Jesus was born, ordered the slaughter of all the male children under the age of 2. In some customs it is tradition to be mischievous and play tricks on other, not unlike April fool's Day. In other cultures it is simply a time to bless the children in church.

New Years Eve is a custom that that is celebrated throughout the globe. Some French Canadian communities participate in La Guignolée, a custom of going door to door doing silly things to collect money, food and clothing for the less fortunate. The Gaelic people in Cape Breton have a similar custom for Oidhche Challuinn (New Year's Eve) collecting onions and potatoes.

Epiphany is celebrated on January the 6th it is the twelfth day of Christmas and marks the end of the holiday season. Many people take their decorations down by this day to avoid bad luck. Epiphany celebrates the nativity and the visit by the Magi (the wise men) and the baptism of Jesus.

Julian Christmas is the 7th of January Ukrainians and many others from the eastern Orthodox churches celebrate on this day. On the 6th a candle is lit and placed in windows, to light the path for travelers, in memory of Joseph and Mary's journey. The Ukrainian Christmas begins when the first star (the star of Bethlehem) is seen in the sky, a prayer is said and sheaf of wheat is placed under the Icons in the house. Dinner is a 12 course menu beginning with kutia (a dish made of boiled wheat, honey, nuts and ground poppy seeds) and ending uzvar (an aromatic dried fruit compote). Marika of Yevshan Communications in Montreal helped me find some Christmas items and even sent me a recipe for Kutia from the Ukrainian Daughter Cookbook.

 

Traditional Kutia - (courtesy of Ukrainian Daughter's Cookbook)

Kutia is the ritual first dish (or final dish) of the 12-course Christmas Eve dinner. The wheat represents the staff of life. The honey represents the spirit of Christ.
[traditionally the man of the house would throw a spoonful of the kutia on the ceiling, and observe how much would stick. This would indicate the quality of the harvest for the coming year! ..]

2 cups wheat
3 quarts water
1 cup poppy seeds
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey dissolved in 3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
(optional: 1/2 cup raisins)

Dry wheat in 250'F oven for 1 hour, stir occasionally.
Wash, soak in cold water overnight.
Next morning, bring to boiling point, simmer 3 - 4 hours until kernels burst.

Scald the poppy seed in boiling water, simmer 3 - 5 minutes.
Drain and grind twice using the finest blade of a food chopper (processor)
Set aside

Combine honey and sugar in a bowl.
Add poppy seeds, nuts (and raisins)
Add cooled, boiled wheat
Mix well.

Keeps in refrigerator for several days if needed.
Decorate bowl with nut halves or dry fruit.

Finally your evening would not be complete without caroling Koliada Ta Shchedrivky book and cd would be a perfect accompaniment to your caroling adventures.

Happy Holidays still to all of those who are celebrating and regarless of which calander you follow may blessing and joy follow you always.

 Photo Credits: victoria lodgings, urzadzamy