Home for the Holidays
Out in the “real” world, it’s the arrival of chilly weather that often kicks off chitchat about the holidays. But here at the Western Living office, planning for our mid-winter issue starts while it’s still balmy and warm ( yes, the holiday season starts very early for this team!). That often means we’re left craving those classic seasonal meals for months before we can actually start serving them—case in point: our food feature for this month (page 47), which spotlights the Quebecois holiday traditions of one of Vancouver’s top chefs, J-C Poirier of St. Lawrence, who’s just released his first cookbook, hot on the heels of winning Restaurant of the Year from Vancouver magazine.
Poirier’s recipe for tourtière—that beloved French-Canadian holiday dish—had me reflecting on holidays past (I was lucky enough to have an aunt who was a master tourtière maker), and musing over all the things I’m looking forward to this year. My family celebrates Slovak Christmas, and I can’t wait to make bryndzové halušky (potato dumplings with soft sheep’s cheese) with my niece and nephew when I travel to spend that holiday with them on January 6.
And the rest of the team? For both editor-at-large Stacey McLachlan and assistant editor Kerri Donaldson, the classic rum and eggnog is central to their nostalgic traditions—the former pairs one with a rewatch of A Christmas Story, the latter with a listen to Elvis’s Blue Christmas. Art director Jenny Reed’s family is also big on the Christmas Eve movie night: lasagna with a side of Die Hard. And associate editor Alyssa Hirose’s family waits until the last minute to wrap presents—she loves the chaos of it all.
As you read this, you may be thinking of your own family traditions—from the fun and chaotic to the cozy and delicious—and perhaps also imagining what form those unexpected surprises that always arrive might take this year. I hope that the coming weeks deliver that perfect fusion of familiar and new in your celebrations with your loved ones, creating a holiday season to remember. And, from all of us here at Western Living, we wish you a happy and healthy 2023.