Together, we will create a vibrant, intergenerational cohousing community in Novato, California where we know our neighbors well and live more sustainably.
December 2021 Newsletter
Sharing our Holiday Traditions

As cohousers, this time of the year is one of our favorites. It's a time of year that is rich with tradition and nearly every family has certain things they do to celebrate. But what exactly is a tradition, and what is the reason behind them? For example, when and what we eat at our holiday dinner, or how we decorate the tree.

Tradition is defined as “the handing down of customs or beliefs from generation to generation” Essentially, traditions are the things we do because we’ve always done them that way. 

Traditions can serve as a way to organize and bring us together during a hectic time of year. In other words, these familiar actions provide a sense of calm and peace to our busy lives. Traditions also tell the story of where we came from and connect us to previous generations. They also bond us together and make us feel like we’re part of something special, and give us much needed comfort during difficult times.

As cohousers, we realize new traditions are just as important as old ones. When we add new traditions into our lives, it gives us new and exciting ways to celebrate with our friends and family. When you embrace the changes, you’ll find that your new traditions can be just as fun.

Happy Holidays from our C St. cohousing community!

St Sure-Caye Holiday Village Tradition
By Cathy, C St member

When we were first married, my husband gave our household (at that point just us) a funky large Holiday themed piece that showed Santa trying to get in to a home. And a village was born. Over time, the village grew…each home and building representing a new place we visited.

Having not been attracted to collecting villages before, we realized that adding to the atypical collection of holiday locations could be an opportunity for remembering our travels. After two children and five moves, one internationally, we have established a village that looks quite different from the villages I had seen as a child. Our pieces are unique and are not part of a matching set.

The village we have put together has been constructed from pieces by artisans and local talent and represents how we see the world, fun, inclusive and often a bit whimsical. We look forward to the opportunity to share all our traditions when we live in Cohousing!
Joselle's Tree Collection
By Joselle, C St member
Sparkling, twinkling lights, cherished Christmas balls… Ones so carefully stored from previous years… Arranged deliberately along the boughs of our Christmas tree.
How does a true obsession/hobby start? The wonders and enjoyment of our family tree probably started my collection of trees.
All sizes, makes of material, delicate or sturdy, have found a place in my home. They came via my own discovery or from the many exchange of gifts after my family and friends discovered I enjoyed them.
Most are packed up now but I managed to retrieve my small, most delicate trees. They’ll find a niche on my bed stand this year as I continue my nomadic life until my home is built.
Happy holidays everyone. I hope something that reminds you of the season gives you joy. That is what my little Christmas trees do for me.
Lynn's Tree Collection
My little “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree is very precious to me because for 15 years I didn’t have a Christmas tree. Each year, I was producing a live holiday play in the professional theatre. From casting and rehearsals starting in late September to the close of the show in late December, I was in the holiday business…and any tree I had time to decorate was onstage. This tree is set in front of a beautiful Mexican textile, a gift from my late husband, and the little ornaments are enamel elephant key rings from a once-in-a-lifetime trip we took to India. The “star” is an engraved ornament, the masks of tragedy and comedy, a gift from the director of one of those long ago holiday plays.

Contact Us Today
If you are interested in learning more or reserving your home, please contact us at marincohousing@gmail.com. You can follow us at our website www.marincoho.com. Growing awareness is essential, but what we really need are future neighbors seeking to live in community in the 2022-2023 timeframe. We understand that commitment takes time. So please join us at an upcoming virtual meeting as we continue the momentum toward securing our site and designing our community. We are in contract on land and making progress.
 
We can only do this together. Please join us…and send us your thoughts!
See our website to learn more about C Street Village

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