For me, Christmas has always meant gray skies and cold air, wood smoke and pine trees, home-cooked meals with hot chocolate, and, with a bit of good luck (or bad luck, if you’re the one doing the shoveling), a bit of snow. But how does Christmas in Disney compare? In some ways, the two are not that different.

Thanks for visiting the next article in my series on traveling outside of London during your time abroad! If you didn’t get a chance to start at the beginning, make sure you read my first post here.

Winter: one of the hallmarks of the season is that night comes early and sunrise comes late. The stars in winter skies seem to shine more brightly than they do in other seasons. This time of longer nights also invites us in, to communion, connection, fellowship, and quiet reflection -- and to music to accompany all these things.

It was the headline that drew me in: "One artist's quest to capture her travels led to these stunning portraits of wild women." 

Spain! The recent global financial crisis has led to excellent travel deals, especially in Spain. Want to head to this sunny land, chock full of history and great food?

The turn of seasons from autumn to winter brings gatherings, travels, time for reflection, and in the United States, the holiday of Thanksgiving. Wherever in the world you may find yourself, it has been and continues to be a challenging time, with upheavals and uncertainties in public life - and no doubt challenges changes in each of our personal lives, as well.

Thanks for reading my series on traveling outside of London during your time abroad! If you didn’t get a chance to start at the beginning, make sure you read my first post here.

One of the questions I hear most often is from families looking to expand their kids’ appreciation of art. I’ve written 7 Tips for teaching your kids to appreciate art museums to answer just that question.

When I was thirteen, the term ‘cultural diffusion’ didn’t often come up in conversation, yet sitting in my best friend’s kitchen eating her favorite mint chocolate chip ice cream from Ben and Jerry’s was sort of the same thing. That same summer, another friend introduced ‘Pringles’ potato chips into our bunk at sleep away camp.

In a quiet room, a nameless English poet gazed at his work for a moment. A faint smile crossed his face, and he nodded once before carefully wiping his quill and putting it away. His work was complete for the day, and he was satisfied. On the parchment beneath his ink-stained fingers, his quill had carefully scratched a masterpiece into existence: