Here's to colouring yourself in calm during the new year That's A Life t some point over the Christmas holidays the entire Juniper family entered therapy. Not by force, as anyone who knows us may assume, or the result of an intervention, or court order, but still... Not that the holidays had been overly stressful. The opposite, actually. Our celebrations were spread out. My burgeoning extended family celebrated the season in mid-December in London (ah, adorable infants everywhere). Then, on Christmas Eve, my wife's family of 22 social souls invaded our abode. Me to my wife: "I've secured 10,420 bottles of wine, so we should be good." My wife to me, about 20 minutes after The Kelly Clan arrived: "Hon, I think we're out of wine." This year we decided to forego the traditional sitdown meal in favour of a perpetual procession of awesome hors d'oeuvres -- Guest Contributor 5 | Thursday, January 7, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Andy Juniper an excellent idea appropriated from my sister; an idea that was a hit with people, palates, and the hosts who found themselves unchained from the oven, and the shackles of The Big Meal, and actually afforded time to mingle and socialize. Part of my wife's Christmas is a thing called Mystery Gift, which, over the years, has taken on new meanings, arcane rules (understood by few, argued by all), and a raucous life of its own. Suf ce to say, everyone brings an inexpensive gift wrapped in both paper and mystery -- generally speaking, stuff that nobody in their right mind would ever want -- and then these prizes are fervently fought over: when it's your turn to open, should you not like what you receive, you can steal from others. This year we hired two burly bouncers with the hope of giving the proceedings a modicum of civility, and safety. I can't tell you what I got out of this year's festive fracas -- so memorable was the gift -- but at the end of the chaos I was sur- prised to see several people sashaying about aunting colouring books. Seriously: sashaying, aunting. Colouring books. For adults. Talk about a glorious return to kindergarten. Yes, dear readers, back in 2015 (can you even remember back that far?) adult colouring books became a big thing. Experts in big things like adult colouring books (and aren't your parents proud; "My son's an expert in adult colouring books"), say the trend has nowhere near peaked. I know around our house it's in full swing. I know that because on Christmas Day, as most everyone, but immediate family members, made their way out of Moffat, as I sat down to watch basketball -- because nothing says Christmas like a glut of games on TV -- I looked up and saw every adult in the family (ages 20 to 85) sitting around the kitchen table, colouring. When I commented (laughed, actually) I was shot down. Told this activity was creative, calming, an ideal outlet for self-ex- pression, a delightful de-stressor at a point in the holiday proceedings where, invariably, everyone's starting to lose their marbles. It's therapy, they proclaimed. Well, it's no surprise to me that we'd all end up in therapy over the holidays. Between sessions of crayoning, we enjoyed reading time, took naps, and occasionally ventured outside for recess. -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, found on Facebook www.facebook. com, or followed on Twitter at www.twitter .com/thesportjesters. As a Maid Right owner you have my quality guarantee with every clean. FREE Schedule3 3cleans, cleans, Schedule get the 4th free* get the 4th free* *Receive the 4th of four cleans at no charge *Receive the 4th of four cleans at no charge up to $150 value. Not valid on prior services. up to $125 value. Not valid on prior services. Not redeemable for cash. Applies to new Not redeemable for cash. Applies to new customers only. customers only. SM SPECIAL OFFER: OFFER: SPECIAL CLEAN CLEAN 289.809.9823 (XXX) XXX-XXXX localurladdressgoeshere.com Oakville.MaidRight.com Same Reliable Owners Clean Every Visit Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Color-Coded Cloths Reduce Cross Contamination EnviroShield® Whole Home Disinfecting Strongest Guarantee In the Industry ©2015 Maid Right Franchising LLC. Maid Right and JAN-PRO International are subsidiaries of Premium Franchise Brands LLC. INJURED? I Can Help! YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY UNLESS I GET YOU MONEY My team of experienced lawyers can help you with: · Car accidents · Slip and Falls · Disability Claims (Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, CPP) · Wrongful Dismissal OFFICES IN OAKVILLE AND TORONTO For a free consultation call: Oakville: 905.842.2022 or Toronto: 416.351.9222 email: sspadafora@slspc.ca PLATINUM NEW YEAR'S SPECIALS! Sam Spadafora Injury and Employment Law