O Tannenbaum

It's almost Christmas . . . how is that even possible?  I'll miss Christmastime when it's over.  But what's really sad is that there are a lot of awful things going on in the world right now even though the holidays are supposed to be a time of love and peace.  I always think of the "O Tannenbaum" story when times are hard like this.  It was 1914, and World War I had been a horrible reality for several long and bloody months, but Christmastime somehow brought with it a feeling of beneficence between soldiers on both sides of the trenches.  Their shared appreciation for the beauty and sentiment of the holiday season is equal parts touching and heartbreaking because, while it did bring a sort of peace to the battlefront, the peace was only temporary, and men who had once shared in carols and football games were soon forced to return to killing each other.  In the words of Pvt. Albert Moren:

“First the Germans would sing one of their carols and then we would sing one of ours, until when we started up ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful’ the Germans immediately joined in singing the same hymn to the Latin words Adeste Fideles. And I thought, well, this is really a most extraordinary thing ­– two nations both singing the same carol in the middle of a war.” (from TIME)

I can only hope that maybe we'll be able to find peace this year for people all over the world and that the peace will last.  Every time I see footage from Aleppo or think of what just happened at one of Berlin's beautiful Christmas markets, I'm overcome with sadness and pain and an overwhelming longing for peace. Shouldn't we be able to learn from the past and see that love is the most important thing? 

 

<3 Frances  

Conscientious Holiday Hair and Skin Solutions

Midterms are over!  OVER.  Now comes the anxiety of anticipating grades.  At least the winter holidays are finally here, though.. There will be ample time to procrastinate and work on various long-term projects from home while listening to the same Christmas mixed tape over and over again.
But homework and writing endeavors aside, I'm excited to have some more beauty loves to share.  As I work on a major research project about animal exploitation and animal cruelty in industry, I'm increasingly devastated by the reality of animal testing in cosmetics.  I really do enjoy skincare and makeup because they're fun and make my skin happy, but I don't think that any of the products we use should require animals to suffer.  The idea of little bunnies and mice having chemicals squirted into their eyes is nightmarish and makes me cry, and one of the most upsetting things about it is that it's not necessary.  There are so many household and cosmetic products that don't have any of their ingredients tested on animals,.  They have safe, natural ingredients that are better for bunnies, the planet, and for us.  I think that companies that haven't transitioned to being cruelty-free can learn a lot from their bunny-friendly peers, and by supporting companies that support animals, we can help show the world that we really do care about where products come from and about how they're made. We have the power to make beauty that hurts bunnies "uncool" and make cruelty-free the norm.
With that in mind, here are some fun, effective, cruelty-free beauty ideas for holiday gifts this year:

Anything by SheaMoisture
SheaMoisture is organic, cruelty-free, and promotes fair trade efforts that benefit and empower women in Africa, and the story behind the brand is very moving and powerful.  One of the great things about SheaMoisture's shampoos and conditioners is that a little goes a long way, so you don't have to continuously restock ,but you can feel good when you purchase from them because you know you're supporting a company that's environmentally- and socially-conscientious. (What's funny is that I don't have curly hair, but I love their Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Shine Shampoo. I think it might actually make my hair bouncier, like it's trying to become curly even though it's really very straight.)

Zum Bar Soap
I have a thing for fancy soap bars.  I think it's because they look almost like yummy raw food bars or something. Anyway, Zum Bar Soap is soap made of goat's milk, and it comes in a range of very yummy natural scents.   And every bar is a unique piece of art that feels and smells amazing.  At $6.25 per bar, they're a little bit expensive, but for holiday gifts, the splurge could be worth it.  I mean, there's a Grapefruit Zum Bar, a Dragon's Blood Zum Bar, a Peppermint-Almond Zum Bar, and even a Charcoal Zum Bar.  The one thing would be to check the ingredients. Some of them have yummy ingredients like almond and citrus, and if anyone on your holiday list has allergies, it'd be best to avoid getting anything allergenic.

SO MUCH SOAP. I had no idea you could buy this in bulk. 

Happy Holidays!
<3 Frances

Supermoons, Sweaters, Stockings

This Christmas marked the first Christmas full moon in 38 years, and it brought with it heightened intuition and emotion.  In other words, if you were having major #feels on Friday, the lunar cycle may be partially responsible (read more in this article). In addition to this, the weather has been kind of crazy (it's really warm here, which is really weird, but it's supposed to get seasonal soon), and there were even some big storms in the southern and central U.S. that led to losses.  I'm sending the force to everyone there (and anywhere else in the world) who experienced any suffering in recent days <3.  The holidays are about togetherness and oneness, and we need to extend our support to those who need it most as we head towards 2016. 

Someone captured the moon with Christmas lights!

On a personal note, I'm still sort of pretending Christmas is still going on.  I know technically the 25th is over, but I just love the comforting music and the presence of my little faux tree and all the pretty twinkling lights so much that I don't want to move on from the season.  Fortunately, the Twelve Days of Christmas technically start the day after Christmas, so it's okay that I still have Darlene Love ad Bruce Springsteen playing on repeat....

<3 Frances

Christmas Eve Thoughts

Merry Christmas Eve, darlings! Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope today is a merry, bright one and that you are able to be with people you love.  With that in mind, I'm sharing some thoughts today about loving-kindness and the importance of seeing things from a loving perspective.  The year will be over by the end of next week (crazy, right?), and it's important that we try to end 2015 and begin 2016 on a positive note.  Love is at the root of all good things in the world, and to perpetuate these good things, we should focus on and act with love whenever possible. 

 

Today, then, how can you act with love? 

Also, in the spirit of the season, here's a little music:

 

The Smashing Pumpkins: "Christmastime"

 

 

 

<3 Frances



Holiday Playlist

There was a layer of frost all over everything yesterday morning, and we put our little Christmas tree up.  She's the same one we've had every year, and we haven't gotten around  to decorating her yet, but it's fun to see all her little twinkly lights and listen to the sweet holiday songs that always remind me of building giant snow caterpillars (yes, caterpillars) when I was little.

Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson: "Winter Song"

Stevie Wonder: "Silver Bells" (cover)

Harry Simeone Chorale: "Little Drummer Boy"

 
John Lennon: "Happy Christmas"

<3 Frances

Style Inspiration: Bohemian Winter

"Boho" seems to go so well with summertime that it's hard to imagine it fitting at any other time of the year.  But, when paired with winter, the bohemian vibe actually works rather magically.  I mean, what other time of year allows you to wear the endless layers of sweaters that everyone's inner bohemian is so entirely drawn to?

<3 Frances

Last Day of November Playlist

With holidays and sicknesses and the general events of life, it's been a while since the last post, and I can't believe it's already the last day of November!  At least that means it's officially acceptable for me to listen to Christmas music and put the tree up.  

The Rockettes are my favorite part of the Macy's Parade. 

Even though I'm very grateful to be so fortunate as to have a school to go to and a home to go home to, going back to the "daily grind" after the extended break is proving to be challenging.  And I think I'm coming down with something, too, because getting up and out was particularly difficult.  But all that aside, Mondays are always made better by music.

Vance Joy: "Riptide"

Sia: "Elastic Heart"

New Politics: "Harlem"

Arctic Monkeys: "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor"

And, because it's now the holiday season...

Darlene Love: "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"

<3 Frances 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  Warmest wishes to everyone, regardless of whether or not this particular holiday is one you celebrate.

Lissie: "2,000 Miles" (Cover of The Pretenders)

<3 Frances 

Holidays

We are on winter holidays now, so I thought that the time might be right for some holiday music...just to get everyone in the holiday spirit :).

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: "Christmas Eve and Other Stories"

<3 Frances