Dear Hug Bug friends,

Hello Winter / Bonjour l’hiver / Hola Invierno 2025!

Winter is on the way! Time to skate and sleigh!

By Charlotte Diamond
from “Diamonds and Dragons”

Hello, Winter, how are you today?
I’m so glad that you have come my way.
Hello, Winter, say, you’re looking fine,
Won’t you have a cup of tea and join these friends of mine?

With your icicles on bicycles, riding in the snow,
Snowflakes falling, tickling my nose,
Sleigh rides; let’s go skating ‘round and ‘round,
I’m so glad that you have come to visit in our town.

from my CD “Diamonds and Dragons” and
“A World of Music” Music Book

 

Let’s sing this song in French!

Par Charlotte Diamond et Paul Gitlitz
© 1992 Charlotte Diamond Music (SOCAN)
As recorded on the CD, Bonjour l’hiver

Bonjour l’hiver, eh, comment ça va?
Je suis content que tu sois avec moi.
Bonjour l’hiver, tu te portes bien,
Reste un peu avec nous autres,
Chantons un refrain.

Ah, tes glaçons brillants, suspendus au toit,
Tes flocons de neige qui dansent autour de moi.
Allons patiner et glisser en traineau,
Je suis content quand tu arrives
Dans notre petit hameau.

From my CD, “Bonjour l’hiver” and
“A World of Music” Music Book with CD
Also available for purchase as a song download on my web site!
Vocal Performance or Band Track

Joyeux Noel, mes amis!

The winter nights are colder and getting longer, while the days are getting shorter. Soon we celebrate Winter Solstice on December 21. The sun returns slowly to warm our days in the Northern Hemisphere of Earth. In the Southern Hemisphere, Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica are getting ready for summer! Many families travel south like snowbirds to keep warm. But I like the snow and frosty days of winter!

Which is your favourite season? Winter is a time for imagination! Being indoors more often, we can read, draw, paint, sing, dance, and tell stories.

I love teaching teachers and encouraging them to sing with their children. In my workshops, I show how to use my PRIZE Method to bring songs and stories to life using puppets, props, and creative play.

I have many stuffies, hand puppets, costumes and felt stories to animate my songs, such as, “I am a Pizza,” “Octopus (Slippery Fish),” “Dicky Dinosaur,” and “Ottie the Otter.” My puppets are like special friends. They have personality and can help us express our thoughts and feelings. They help us to be brave when we are feeling shy, alone, or sad.

When I was not feeling well a few years ago, I had to take treatments that made me lose all my hair. It was quite a change! I turned to my love of creative writing to help me through. I wrote a story/poem, called “The Lion Who Lost His Mane.” I had always been so proud of my curly hair. While visiting the BC Children’s Hospital, I met several children who experienced the sadness of losing their hair. This poem might help someone that you know.

Luckily, my hair slowly grew back, as did the children’s hair. But it did take time! With the help of my friends, I had fun trying on wigs, colourful scarves, funny hats, and sparkling earrings that made me feel beautiful again! Enjoy reading my Lion story! My birthday is July 31st, which makes me a Leo. I love being lion-hearted!

By Charlotte Diamond
© Charlotte Diamond Music 2013 SOCAN

There once was a lion with a beautiful mane,
He often would boast and proudly exclaim,
“Look at my hair all golden and bright,
See how each curl shines in the light!”
He’d roar and many would come to admire
The thick mantle of fur, like a golden fire.

But one day as he slept, the source of his pride,
Started to fall, strand by strand, ‘til there was nothing at all,
His golden fur lay like straw on the ground,
His head was bare, not a hair to be found.
He grabbed some fur to stick it back on,
But it fell like feathers down to the ground.

Then he roared, he cried and all came to stare
At the very bald lion, standing there.
“It’s not so bad”, said Giraffe, “You could wear boughs from the trees,
I’ll help find some, I’m quite tall, you see.”
“I’ll find feathers”, said Hyena, “To decorate your head,
You’ll be quite handsome and special”, she said.

“But I feel really sad, and my head is cold,
Besides, without hair I am bald and feel old!”
He grumbled and mumbled, but his friends were there,
They had ideas they wanted to share.

Visit my website to read the rest of the poem and listen to me narrate it! You can even download the poem and M4A audio file of my narration for free to listen to whenever you’d like! Meet all the animals that help Lion tell his story: Zebra brought him a straw hat. Big Baboon found finger paints to draw swirls and curls on his head. The birds found flowers as decorations and built him a nest to keep his head warm. What would you do to help? Send me your ideas. Kindness and friendship help us heal. Hugs help, too!

My home is in a West Coast rainforest near Vancouver, BC. The trees and the animals are getting ready for the cold weather. We may have some snow.

The squirrels are busy storing cones and nuts near their nest, the bugs are hiding under the fallen leaves, and many birds have already flown south to stay warm. I enjoy walking in the forest and noticing all the changes. What kind of tree would you like to be? A cedar, an oak, or a maple tree?

I want to be a little fir tree, decorated with food for the birds that spend the winter here.

By Paul Gitlitz 1991 SOCAN
(Recorded by Charlotte Diamond on the album, “The Christmas Gift”)

1.
We went to the woods at holiday time,
We went to the woods to find a small tree,
With baskets of presents for all the birds,
My big sister, my brother and me.

Chorus:
Living tree, oh, giving tree
With sparrows shy and blue jays bold.
Living tree, oh, giving tree
For all the birds in winter’s cold.

2.
We walked through the woods so silvery green,
We walked through the woods ‘til we found our tree,
Our tree had grown taller in the last year,
Like my sister, my brother and me.

Chorus

3.
Our baskets were full with raisins and seeds,
Garlands of cranberries, ripe for our tree,
We knew that the birds would be banqueting soon,
My big sister, my brother and me.

Chorus

A Gift for Newsletter Subscribers!

Free Song Download!

Until December 31, 2025, I’m offering my Newsletter subscribers only a free download of “The Giving Tree.” Click here to go to the product page in my store, and then click on “Add to Cart”. [Not subscribed to my Newsletter yet? Click here to sign up now so you’ll be eligible for future offers!]

At checkout, enter the coupon code posted in the newsletter – after doing so, you’ll see a credit in your shopping cart of $0.99 for the song purchase. Then just proceed through checkout to get immediate access to your song download!

(If you aren’t purchasing any other items, you won’t be asked for purchase details. We do need your name, address, and Email address though, to process the order and give you access to the download file.)

My newest picture book, Charlotte Diamond’s Animal Friends, celebrates nature with songs of animal life. It is also available in digital format for families, teachers, and librarians at Orca Book Publishers. Let’s read and sing together!

I joined an adult choir (Coastal Lights) for the joy of singing with others in harmony. Our holiday concerts bring hope and joy with beautiful songs like “Silent Night” and “Feliz Navidad”. Have fun during the Holidays sharing your favourite cookies and giving a minimum of “Four Hugs a Day!”

As the weather turns chilly, please remember the families in your community who may need your help. Donate to your local food bank, community services, and charities, so everyone can have a healthy, warm and happy holiday season.

By Charlotte Diamond

Leave the world just a little bit better,
A little better than it was.
Leave the world just a little bit better,
A little better than you found it,
When the sun came up.

From Charlotte Diamond’s World, 24 Carrot Diamond
and “A World of Music” Music Book

The best gift is your smile!

Happy Holiday Celebrations
and a Peaceful, Joyful New Year 2026!

Write to me anytime and send your ideas to me by email or visit my Charlotte Diamond Fan Page on Facebook. I always write back!

To join the Hug Bug Club, please send your name and address to:

or email fanmail@charlottediamond.com