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Our Christmas Trees Are Not Here to Impress (And They Don’t Match the Couch Either)
Our Christmas trees don’t follow trends. They document lives, sports seasons, childhood phases, family losses, and long-running obsessions. Every ornament is a receipt, proof of where we’ve been and what mattered enough to hang year after year. Continue reading
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Mimi’s Nutcracker
What began as a mother-daughter Nutcracker tradition turned into a decades-long ritual of ballet, birthdays, ornaments, and one ill-fated craft project. From toddler naps in velvet theater chairs to half-painted wooden Nutcrackers, this is a story about love, tradition, and embracing imperfection. Continue reading
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What He Wasn’t Supposed to See (Christmas Edition)
Some gifts are returned. Some are forgotten. And some linger quietly, waiting for the wrong moment to be discovered. A Christmas story about a gift card, a wallet, and the day my son learned something he can never unsee. Continue reading
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What Christmas Sounded Like
Christmas music used to sound different. From timeless carols and Elvis on repeat to modern originals that earned their place, this is a nostalgic, opinionated look at the songs that survived and the ones that didn’t need fixing. Continue reading
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The Rogue Tree
Every family has a holiday story that hovers between comedy and a crime scene. Ours came courtesy of a grandfather, a crooked Christmas tree, and a chain reaction of chaos that still raises questions. Decorations can spark nostalgia, but some memories hit you over the head, literally, in our case. Continue reading
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When silence became a warning
Before the French and Indian War reached the frontier, Chicago felt it coming. Silence thickened, alliances trembled, and warnings traveled through the marsh long before the first shots were fired in the east. This chapter uncovers the quiet dread that shaped Chicago’s world on the brink of a continental conflict. Continue reading
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The Christmas Eve secret we never told
A late-night accident, a kitchen full of lobster tails, and a promise to keep quiet became one of my favorite Christmas memories. This story kicks off 15 Days of Christmas at The Creative Quill. An invitation to slow down, laugh, and remember the imperfect moments that turn the holidays into something lasting. Continue reading
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Before anyone called it a war
Before the French and Indian War had a name, Chicago listened. From 1696 through the early 1750s, chaotic trade, Potawatomi power, firewater, and broken alliances turned the marsh into a warning ground, one that felt the war coming long before the first shot was fired. Continue reading
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Ketchup potato chips, Canadian chocolate and a giant Belle Tire
Our family trips to Canada weren’t vacations; they were pilgrimages powered by chaos, contraband, ketchup chips, and the promise of better chocolate. Every mile was a fever dream of odd-hour departures, rogue seltzer bottles, Detroit landmarks, and the kind of family gatherings that left your hands chapped and your heart full. Continue reading
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Gratitude isn’t seasonal produce
Every November, everyone suddenly remembers gratitude exists, right up until the leftovers hit Tupperware. But thankfulness isn’t seasonal produce with an expiration date. It’s a year-round muscle we forget to flex until the calendar nags us. Here’s a reminder to stay grateful… even in December traffic, and throughout the year. Continue reading
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