Winter Solstice
- elainebac1
- Dec 18, 2025
- 3 min read
The Winter Solstice – a musical tribute:
Winter solstice traditions from around the globe. The shortest day and longest night of the year inspire mystical winter solstice traditions in anticipation of the sun's return.
The colour red is important:
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Events:
Photojournalist G. Scott MacLeod tells us about his experience capturing some of the biggest names in music who were also raising awareness and funds for social causes, including Leonard Cohen, Sting and Sinead O’Connor, for the now-defunct Montreal Mirror. The exhibit is at La Galerie Espace, from December 17th to 23rd.
Human Rights in the Rhythm of Rock – Protest Music of the 1980s & 1990s By G. Scott MacLeod.
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At Concordia:
Join Annie Gérin, dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, for an illuminating evening with acclaimed Montreal singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright.
Monday, January 26, 2026; Doors open: 5:30 p.m. Lecture: 6 – 7:30 p.m. Reception: 7:30 – 8:30 pm.
Concordia Theatre, Henry F. Hall Building , 1455 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W. Admission: $10
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Welcoming Christmas:
‘Princesses’ of the plant world, poinsettias prepare to soak in holiday attention.
c/o Elaine Bacal
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The Nutcracker’s Enchanted Debut.
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A unique Christmas gift from the roof of the Olympic Stadium!
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Books:
Books (and other pursuits) are recommended by IDEAS staff and contributors. Whether you want to think more deeply or get out of your head, we have a list of suggestions for you.
English chemist Sir William Henry Perkin discovered the first commercial synthetic organic dye, mauveine, made from aniline, when he was 18 in 1856. (Canongate Books/Wikimedia/Free Domain)
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Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind (Vintage).“It’s a novel that places scent in the foreground. It follows this guy in 18th-century France who has no odor as a person but has an incredible sense of smell. He becomes obsessed with this idea of finding the perfect scent and goes down a violent path. Because of the way it portrays scent, it has stuck in my head for all these years.” – Yasemin Saplakoglu, staff writer.
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John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs by Ian Leslie (Macmillan)
“This song-by-song portrait of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s partnership may not sound like your typical Quanta recommendation. But science and math are full of collaborations in which people push one another – and their ideas – to new heights, and this book brilliantly uncovers and explores the complex chemistry behind one of history’s most successful creative pairings.” – Simon Frantz, managing editor.
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Italian family traditions preserved in 'Sundays with la Famiglia'. What's a family tradition you carry on? We'll speak to one Italian-Montrealer who has a new book out that explores the tradition of the Sunday family in Italian immigrant households. Author Agata de Santis will be my guest.
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Some of the best cookbooks in 2025:
From stories of home and food from all over the world, our experts share the best cookbooks to up your game in the kitchen. (Shutterstock)
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