Today is officially the first day of winter.  Pagans, and later Christians, used to celebrate this day as the the shortest day of the year.  That was good news for my elementary school students who were looking forward to the beginning of their winter break vacation.  We had a winter party to celebrate with cookies and lots of candy!  Yum!  We also made snowflakes out of white and blue paper.  Then we sprinkled them with silver and blue glitter.  Gorgeous.  Here is the link to the video we used to start our snowflake.  I know you are both all grown up.  But, let your inner child out for a few minutes.  Get out some paper, scissors and glue and have a wee bit of fun!

My mom and I are are really excited about our Italian themed Christmas.  And I have booked a room at the Venetian in Las Vegas after the New Year. I’ve never stayed there.  I love doing things I’ve never done.  I confess, I have ridden in the gondola before.  But, I’ll do it again, if the line isn’t too long.  I’m meeting a friend up there and we’ll go to dinner and do some shopping along the canal.

The Venetians know how to do winter right!  They even have an outdoor ice skating rink near the canal.  Well, I’d better get back to my violin practice.  As I do every winter, here is Vivaldi’s Four Seasons: Winter… I know all the masks look weird.  It’s just a very Italian video.  Actors in Italy used to wear elaborately decorated masks when they performed.  I believe these actors are performing a little play about the beginning of winter! Buon Natale (Italian – Merry Christmas).