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Dear Readers,

I hope this day finds you aglow. For somewhat mysterious reasons (there are many theories), the day after Christmas is called “Boxing Day” in Canada and the UK and likely other countries as well.

It’s the day for feasting on the leftovers of the wonderful dinner the night before, a day of putting away all the toys the children have scattered in their glee from one end of the house to the other, a day of wearing new socks and exploring a new book. For some it’s a day to go shopping, for Boxing Day, at least in Canada, is a day of amazing sales.

For my husband and me, it’s going to be a day of packing and preparing to leave, for we fly out tomorrow, from Toronto—where we are now—back to our winter home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

But first, with our two (very!) grown children , we will sit down with mimosas and review the New Year’s resolutions we made last year (oh oh!), and make new ones. The process is always fun and full of laughs, but we take our resolutions seriously nonetheless.

For those of you for whom this festive season is a sad one, my heartfelt sympathies. May the New Year brighten for you, and may you find solace and joy and wisdom and sustenance in books (that is, in stories).

With love,

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