The Little Paper

Family Day, Valentine’s Day and Chinese New Year! Oh, My!
February is a great month to do-it-up family style. Just look at the line-up… a long weekend, cards, chocolates and cookies and unconditional mama-love. Throw a giant paper dragon or two, board games, skiing, sledding and skating into a month custom-made for coziness, comfort food, reflection, relaxation and you’ll probably find yourselves discovering what you’re really into as tribe. How does your family roll?

Here’s a sampling of what we’ve found inspiring, motivating and interesting this month…Check out… Rufus and Martha Wainwright’s tribute to their recently departed mother, folk icon Kate McGarricle (What a dame!) and Stephanie Nolan’s tale of off-the-grid with-a-toddler-in-tow travel.

Don’t miss… a free opportunity to record a keepsake CD of your family memories and histories from February 8th to 12th at I’m Listening: Conversations for Keeps and, on February 21st, an afternoon of cross-generational indie music, local kidslit and interstellar urban culture at Totsapalooza: The Space Age Rodeo Edition

Wear your heart on your sleeve… at Buddha Dog’s Second Annual Valentine Card Making Workshop on February 6th or, if fire-breathing dragons are more your family’s style, welcome in the year of the tiger at the ROM on the 7th, the Gardiner Museum’s Dragons and Hearts Workshop on the 14th or The Chinese Cultural Centre’s Family Celebration on the 15th of the month.

Bring it all Together… The Irish have a knack for integrating generations. Ceili Cottage opened last year in Leslieville with great-looking grub, traditional Irish music sessions and an outdoor fire pit for winter warming, marshmallow toasting and chestnut roasting. In Bloor West, Moksha Yoga holds an all ages live music jam on the last Saturday of each month. If you sing or play an instrument (at any level) you are welcome.