From the Editor Suzanne Boyd

TUMULTUOUS TIMES, these. Everywhere we turn, we are bombarded by increasingly jarring news, the spectre of nuclear war with Korea, racial tensions here and south of the border and global terrorism. It’s the stuff of nightmares, and many of you may recall feeling similar angst during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Cold War. For many of us who venture south each winter, natural disasters on a scope unseen before have affected the United Sates, Mexico and the Caribbean. It feels very close to home as our hearts and donations go out to those affected. These recent anxieties only compound the usual worries that make us toss and turn at night, when many of us already lose sleep thinking about our own everyday challenges like making ends meet, health issues and caring for loved ones – all matters we cover in this issue, as we always do.

Yet because of these vary factors and, in spite of them, we need to search for ways to not only cope with the stress in our lives, but also to find comfort and joy.

As another holiday season begins, destined to bring the usual added financial and social pressures, we took the view what we all need this year is a relaxed “old school” time, indeed a time out, with friends and family. Impossible? We promise you it’s not only possible but doable. As they say, work smarter, not harder, so for our entertaining guide, “Chillax!” (pg. 44), we consulted with a team of experts from psychologists to chefs, who serve up their best recipes and strategies to make the season work for you. After all, you’ve put in the time, and now deserve to eat, drink and make as merry as youou can.