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The New Domesticity: A Jolly Holiday

The New Domesticity: A Jolly Holiday

One of my favorite movies as a child was “Mary Poppins.” The weaving of fantasy and reality charmed me, and I liked to imagine that I just might be able to jump into a sidewalk chalk painting to enjoy a “jolly holiday” myself. I do recall, however, the term “holiday” being confusing. As an American, I thought “holiday” meant Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving. But as I grew and became familiar with British literature, I came to understand that a “holiday” also refers to a vacation.

Oh, it’s a jolly holiday with Mary;
Mary makes your heart so light.
When the day is gray and ordinary,
Mary makes the sun shine bright.

Now, it is perhaps only in the Pacific Northwest that one might venture to speak of “gray and ordinary” days in the middle of July. But let’s face it: they do occur. So how can we spice up our kids’ days—in July and beyond—with a little “vacation” from the ordinary? We don’t need to wait for the calendar in order to enjoy special moments, nor do we need to spend a lot of money or even leave the house. Like Mary Poppins, we need only add a bit of magic to have a jolly holiday.

To read more, pick up a copy of the July 2017 issue at any of these locations, or view the digital archive copy here.

Julianna Lawson and her husband, Jamie, make their home in Vancouver with their four children, ages 14 to 22.

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