For as long as I can remember, our family has been intentionally sharing our food and our table with community. Gratefully, over the years we have been surrounded by friends of every age at a table that has grown and diminished as our children have grown and left. With our door and hearts open, we have continued to enjoy a steady stream of guests and a life filled with food and friendship.

They say children learn what they live, so when our twin sons returned home for the winter and decided to share their New Year’s Eve table with 25 of their closest friends, it came as no surprise. Having planned a few days at a ski resort during the Christmas break, the boys invited their own group and a few others to join them for New Year’s Eve dinner. It wouldn’t be fancy, but the food was less important than their wish; to end one year and start another, as an intentional community; a group of old friends making memories and sharing laughter and love on the final night of 2012.

And so it was with frozen lasagna, pre-made salads, and garlic bread, that they brought together a large group of ski pals, served dinner to everyone and enjoyed the laughter and love that comes from sharing both the bounty and the connection; a special time celebrating the joy and spirit of the season, made richer for having been shared with others.

Linda Hunter is a professional writer and event planner who is open to possibility and dedicated to service.  With over 30 years of experience in Writing, Conference & Event Management, and Community Service, Linda is a passionate and authentic individual who is committed to being her very best self at work, at home, and in her community.

Linda’s first book, “An Unforgettable After-Grad” was published in 2010 and she is currently writing her second book “Living with Grace.”  She lives in Sidney, British Columbia where she gratefully shares her heart, her home, and her table with her husband, 3 grown children, and her mother, Grace. 

She lives by the motto “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give” coined by Winston Churchill.

Blog: www.livingwithgrace.ca

Twitter: @lindakhunter