The holiday season is about carrying on the traditions that are special to you, whatever they may be. It might be anticipating the daily antics of the Elf on a Shelf, curling up to watch a favourite yuletide movie or baking a classic family recipe. For me, it’s sending holiday cards.

I realize that in today’s day and age, sending paper cards by regular mail may seem ridiculous and archaic. It’s more expensive. It’s more time-consuming. It’s slower. It’s (as my son would say) “from the olden times.”

You wouldn’t think a dentist’s office and trick-or-treaters would have a common goal at this time of year, but Dr. Mayada Kheriba is trying to change that. Every year, her dental office in New Hamburg, Ontario hosts a “candy buy back” a week after Halloween, where kids can swap their extra candy for cash.

“We started it three years ago as an initiative to give back to the community,” says Dr. Kheriba. “The kids wear their costumes to the office and receive a dollar for every pound of candy they trade in. The candy is then donated to Ronald McDonald House at Sick Kids Hospital, where it is shared with young patients – along with their siblings and families – who may have missed out on Halloween.”

I’m a big fan of fall, and it has nothing to do with the pumpkin spice latte. Nothing against people who like flavoured coffee, but if you’re spending these months solely focused on your PSL, you’re missing out on many other reasons to fall for fall. For example:

A summer sports tournament is not the time to pack light. Over the years, I’ve learned a lot from experience – and from peeking into the stylish utility totes of veteran sports moms. Here are some field-tested tips if you’re preparing for a weekend of soccer, baseball or any other outdoor activity.

We all know that becoming a mom is a huge, life-altering event, but it has changed me in other surprising ways, too. See if you remember any of these things from your pre-mom days:

If you had young children in 2006 when Disney/Pixar released the first Cars movie, it’s likely that your family was exposed to the story, the characters, and the merchandise. If your memory is foggy, take this quick quiz to double-check:+