Joy Drop: Stay cozy and warm my friends!

Friends, the end of the year is near. It feels like 2023 flew by in the blink of an eye.

There have been moments of joy but  other parts of the world — Congo, Palestine, Israel, Sudan, to name a few — have not had moments of peace this holiday season the way we would hope for.

Sometimes it feels like actively hoping is futile, but I believe that there is a strength in belief and in prayer. There is something special about this time of year that makes me feel this way — maybe it's the cold or the beautiful lights. There is a vulnerability and a very sincere sense of hope in the air and that is powerful.

A few things have been making me happy and I will start with those. I love winter wear. I am a January baby and I thrive in knits, warm outfits and more. I recently got a delightful winter accessory while shopping and they are lovely. Aspen is a brand I didn't know well but while pursuing the display table of Winners, I found bejeweled fancy green ear muffs. The band looks very glittery and full of emeralds and they're so much fun.

I did some research and found a BuzzFeed article about ear muffs to elevate your winter styles. Ear muffs are truly an easy way to keep yourself warm and also add some colour and flair to your look. They also work easily with hijabs and most head coverings which is why I love them.

People love different things and my friend, journalism professor Adrian Ma, loves whiskey. He made an amazing audio documentary about his relationship with the beautiful "liquid ambrosia" called Adventures in Whiskeyland.

It's a delightful listen and although I don't drink at all, Ma is a phenomenal storyteller and this is a fantastic journey through a timeline of a precious bottle of whiskey that was given to him by his Uncle George. Ma takes us along with him (even across the pond to Scotland) as he decides whether or not to open the expensive bottle or not. I learned the Scottish Gaelic wish for good health: slàinte mhath, pronounced "slan-cha va."

Aaliyah Edwards is one of Canada's basketball stars and plays with the storied University of Connecticut Huskies program. UConn played Toronto Metropolitan University at the Mattamy Centre on Wednesday and it was a fantastic experience. Seeing powerful athletes and their prowess is exciting and important here in Canada.

In a lovely piece of news, Guy Laliberte, billionaire founder of Cirque du Soleil, has donated a piece of wooded land worth $5 million to his hometown of Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Que.

It's always incredible to hear about people re-investing in local regions and what that means for the community. Even in a time of recession, Canadians donate and offer support here and around the world.

My classes at TMU donated just over $76 from my classes and we gave it to the Daily Bread Foodbank. I'm super proud of my classes this year and even made a TikTok to document our semester. They brought me much joy.

I leave you with Alegría, one of the most beautiful songs I know where I first heard it at a Cirque du Soleil show over a decade ago. I wish you Alegría which means "joy".

May health, joy and justice be adundant. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a safe and Happy New Year!