Getting ready for Christmas means following our family traditions: getting a Christmas tree, decorating it with whole family, building a gingerbread house together.
Live Christmas trees are sold by Home Depot, Save on Foods. Pre-lit boxed Christmas trees are sold by Home Depot, Canadian Tire, Superstore, Home Hardware, Walmart. Christmas decorations are sold everywhere. 

Building a gingerbread house together is a fun family activity, where everyone has a chance to be creative, test one's patience, lough at each other's icing meltdowns. The results are usually fully eatable. 

Christmas spirit is all about sharing and making somebody's else's life better. However we can't share it if we don't have it ourselves! So first thing first-getting into the Christmas spirit your family.
​We do it by joint family activities. This weekend it was a cookie decoration.

We are officially in the darkest and coldest time of the year!
It is time to take out the hard artillery against SAD!

Today I am going to cover scent and color therapy. Adding a scent that brings you positive emotions and looking at or wearing a vibrant color will enhance your mood.
​Banana soap, anybody?

Smoky scents
 Byredo "Eleventh hour" features Ban timmur pepper, bergamot, carrot seed, rum, wild fig, tonka bean, cashmere woods notes. It really creates an anticipation of a party, sets one free from limitations, invokes senses. It is sexy, warm, mysterious.

 April Aromatics "Calling all angels" features incense, labdanum, vanilla, honey, amber, precious woods, opoponax, elemi resin, tonka bean, benzoin, and frankincense. The scent is announced to be dark and complex angelic scent, with a sweet incense/ honey-like note, implementing the elements of Earth, Ether and Air. To me it appears as frankincense resin, it reassures everything will be good (that feeling of prayer being heard).

Woody and leathery scents
 Laurent Mazzone Perfumes "Patchouli Boheme" features Egyptian Leaf Geranium, Precious Wood, Indonesian Patchouli, Virginian Tobacco, Leather, Musk, Balm from Tolu, Tonka bean notes. This is the scent of fall-warm and comforting. Patchouli lovers will appreciate this one.

 Fueguia 1833 "Biblioteca de Babel" features only three notes - Cedar, cabreuva (woody note), cinnamon. The scent brings up the Cedar shelves and heavy leather book bindings in mind.  This is not Okanagan Library atmosphere, this is the complex environment of an old European Library.  I personally see the golden/orange color with this fragrance, uplifting.

Parfum d'Empire "Cuir Ottoman" is ideal scent for cold days: jasmine, leather, iris, benzoin, balsams, resins, incense. It is very warming, nurturing, supporting.

Jo Malone London "Oud and Bergamot" smells like bergamot, cedarwood, oud wood. This is the only fragrance I like from Jo Malone house and it has staying power. It is super uplifting!

Sweet floral fragrance
Laurent Mazzone "Sensual Orchid" is a super sexy scent featuring notes of Mandarin, Almond, NeroliOrchid, Sambac Jasmine, Lysiana, Peony, HeliotrVanilla, Musk, Blond Wood, White Cedar, Labdanum, Benzoinope. This fragrance brings out a light within you.

Byredo "Gypsy Water" is a super positive scent with notes of Bergamot, lemon, pepper, juniper berries, incense, pine needles, orris, amber, vanilla, sandalwood. People compare this fragrance with cashmere sweater, agreed! I want to spray myself over and over again!

Nicolai Perfumes "Rose Pivoine" is a tender pink peony scent that reminds about warm summer days and blue skies. 

These fragrances belong to niche category and priced accordingly (sigh).
A few tips : samples can be purchased from lucky scent website and cost is somewhat affordable. Some of these fragrances are sold through Sephora, which has 20% coupons from time to time.

Kelowna is a beautiful place to visit any time of the year, especially during summer and fall. There are many hotels and motels, which could be found through Google engine and Trip Adviser and therefor not the highlight of my blog.

This article will be dedicated to niche Bed and Breakfast type places along the most beautiful street in Kelowna-Abbott St.
Abbott Street is stretched from City Park to Lower Mission area, passing Kelowna General Hospital and two parks (Strathcona and Kinsmen). It is also known as a "Health Corridor" as it has two lanes for active people: bike and walking lanes. Both lanes are maintained by the City employees during fall and winter months, allowing people to walk/ride bike.

There are multiple beach accesses just off the Abbott Street for summer months visitors. As Abbott Street is so close to downtown and it's bountiful entertainment options it is very convenient for guests that don't wish to drive a whole lot.

Option #1 1930 Abbott Street, one bed super cute house, previously listed at $1199 a month.
For more pictures please follow this link:
www.walkscore.com/score/1930-abbott-st-kelowna-bc-canada

Option #2 Abbott Lakehouse Bed and Breakfast at 1875 Abbot Street, Kelowna
Tel (250) 470-9493
This is a Victorian style house offering three-four guest rooms with Queen and King beds, breakfast, just minutes away from the beach. Here is the link for pictures and contact info:
atthebeachkelowna.com/abbott-lakehouse/

Option #3 At the Beach Bed and Breakfast 1904 McDougall Street, Kelowna
Tel (250) 470-9493
It has three guest rooms to choose from. Here is the link for more pictures and info:
​atthebeachkelowna.com/at-the-beach/

Option #4 Christleton Bed and Breakfast located at 
423 Christleton Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 5H9 
Tel (250) 470-0298 
There are five luxurious guest rooms with bathrooms and breakfast included. For more information: bedandbreakfastkelowna.ca/

​Today Save on Foods offers free pumpkins to everyone, no limit, while supply lasts!
Hurry up to load on fall favorite!
Fresh not-carved  pumpkins can be stored for up to 90 days in a cool, dry, dark place.

Halloween night is a very special night. Kids showcase their costumes and collect candy, adults show their creativity and the sharing spirit, community spirit grows through all that activity.
Some of my pictures captured spirits, or maybe it was just a lighting/shadow reflection, who knows?

The picture above turned out ghostly, I think. What do you think?

Ghost busters were on the streets, saving us from chaos and dark beings. We are so thankful!

I was scared to knock on that door, it has visual signs of paranormal activity!

There was a pet cemetery display with loving messages from pet owners.

The Halloween night was full of excitement, candy and light. I am working on a video compilation to showcase community spirit and all the fun.

Special addition to Jack-o-lantern family- poop emoji pumpkin!