THE BEST OF SL MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2020 EDITION by The Best Of SL Magazine

Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Reign Congrejo Fashion Editor Bronxie Asst Fashion Editor Shantal Gravois CONTRIBUTORS CompE Sammie Audion Jamee Sandalwood Arya Braveheart Sita Writer Yhishara Cerise Magissa Denver Matt Thomson COVER PHOTO: Magissa Denver COVER MODEL: ADONIS HANSOME

BOSL Magazine December 2020 Edition

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MEET MISS VIRTUAL WORLD 2021 FINALIST 26 MAINTAINING THE BALANCE

NEVER GOOD BYE- MISS VIRTUAL WORLD 2020

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE XMAS 80 FASHION TREND-ALL WHITE PARTY 96 TIME TO CELEBRATE 132 CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS 148

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MISS VIRTUAL WORLD 2021 FINALIST And then there were nine; the finalists of Second Life’s most prestigious contest, Miss Virtual World. More than a beauty contest— though none of the ladies are, shall we say ‘hard to look at,’ —MVW celebrates creativity, style, and character. The investment of RL time for an SL competition is rigorous and demanding, so while contestants take a quick breather before a winner is crowned, let’s meet the contenders. Arion Vella: France Arion likes testing her abilities, talents, and skills. “I am always looking for a challenge that will push me to be more creative in fashion,” the 13-plus years SL veteran says. “The prestigious BOSL organization has a reputation of being the best of the best, so it seemed natural to join this pageant for personal growth, working with the BOSL family, and networking with other models.” Arion’s contest experience was challenged by finding a photographer who shares her vision and can bring it to life. Her take-away from the SL pageant, she notes: “I’ve been encouraged to reach for a personal best in my profession, including dressing for success.”

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Arion is also a voracious reader and loves all genres of movies. “My dream job would be writing for BOSL Magazine,” she says. Amethyst Starostin: Kenya With an eye towards helping others, Amethyst entered MVW: not just for the glamor, but for its altruism. “I wanted to join an organization committed to charity and the arts as much as fashion,” the DJ-choreographer said about the experience. “MVW would be an incredible honor.” The contest taught her how to have grace under pressure and time management skills. The marketing challenge was her most intimidating challenge, but she admits, “Each challenge has been equally difficult in different ways.” Yet she faced all challenges, was victorious over each, and made her way to the finals. In other activities, Amethyst enjoys DJing, choreography for dance shows, and modeling. She is also an estate manager for SkyBeam Estates and owns an SL store– Fire Within.

Article by: CompE|Photography: Contestants|Writing: Cara Paine

Bluebell Andretti: Malta Malta’s representative and finalist, Bluebell Andretti notes, “I love creating different looks, and I thrive under a bit of pressure.” She came to the right place. The British native joined the program for varied reasons: to challenge herself, learn about pageants, make friends with like-minded people, and have fun. She has obtained all of the above. “I also thought something like this would take my mind off the weird situation that the world is currently undergoing,” she adds.

Ksenia Jovinavic: Russia Ksenia was ready to be pushed out of her comfort zone, and MVW let it happen. “I thought about entering the contest for years,” she says, “but did not have the confidence in my personal style.” But now? “I felt ready.” Benefits of the contest for her are many. “You gain personal growth by remaining open minded and not taking anything personally,” she says. “This is all a part of a process, and if you are open to it, you leave stronger and better than when you started.

Her biggest challenge was the contest’s Rebrand task. “I’ve never experienced anything like that, and I can’t build or make textures.” Maybe not, but she’s learning– and landed a spot in the top finalists.

Surround yourself with strong individuals, embrace their differences, and celebrate similarities. Never see their strengths as a threat. Use it as goals to strive for.”

Bluebell also enjoys singing. In RL she sings in a band. “I also love fashion, reading, dancing and movies.” Her friends are special as she notes, “I adore socializing.”

One MVW challenge she faced was trying to add an ’essence’ of herself into everything. Russia’s contestant wanted to add “a little Ksenia to it!” Ksenia also loves SL shopping and photography.

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Kitty Dark Rage (CatsMeow17): Poland Time is of the essence to most people, and this is best exemplified by MVW where success is factored by hours and minutes rule the day. Just ask Kitty Dark Rage. “The biggest benefit I have gained from this contest that can be applied to real life is time management,” she says, referring to successfully juggling Second Life with the real one and a contest that takes time from both.

Keira Rhapsody: Ireland Keira was new to modeling and the pageant world when she joined the MVW competition. “I knew I wanted to try pageants at some point but wasn’t sure how to go about it. This one opened up, and I decided to jump in head first and learn.” She’s a fast learner.

Like others, she felt time management is one of the biggest skills she’s honed from being a contestant. She started planners and journals to help manage the day’s schedule. In addition to managing minutes, she was challenged by the pageant’s ‘written backstory’ requirements. Ireland’s entry added, “I’m pretty creative in just about everything except creative writing. I’ve Challenges she had to overcome were all by design— literally. “Not really had to push myself here.” Kitty conquered time restraints and signed up to compete, not just to win but to learn and meet others. “I entered to meet new people,” she continues. “I wanted to get to know the Miss Virtual World organization and its people.”

being a designer, it is quite a challenge trying to find the right pieces for an outfit to get your vision across.” Keira is an RL professional musician, seamstress, designer,

knitter, and painter. Her list is growing. She notes a love of

Kitty also devotes time to real life passions, including playing the flute, trying new things and wants to expand to SL scripting and cooking and baking competitions, and spending time in Second Life. other pursuits. “Life is too short to learn all I want,” Keira notes.

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“I love learning new things.”

Ale (lllalejandralll): Argentina Argentina’s Ale is another MVW entry who faces trials and embraces them. “I participate because I love the challenge,” she says. “Showing that I can give 101 percent, learning, and enriching my SL world are other objectives, as well.”

Now comes the most difficult task of the Miss Virtual World Contest, selecting a winner. I do not envy the judges, as all of these ladies qualify.

She applies lessons learned from the pageant to RL. “Not giving up is my greatest lesson,” Ale emphatically states. “My goal is to learn to overcome myself, undertake a challenge, and give it everything I’ve got.” “My biggest challenge so far was imagining what fashion would be like in 2025 and bringing that idea to SL,” she said. Challenge accepted. Ale’s life outside the pageant includes fashion, music, runway modeling, blogging, and teaching. She recently opened an SL hat store which she notes, “is growing little by little.” Probably because she never gives up.

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MAINTAINING THE BALANCE One way to look at art in Second Life (SL) is to divide it into two categories. On the one hand, we have art that has obviously been created in Real Life (RL) and uploaded into SL. Examples for this might be paintings or photographs. On the other, we have art that was brought to life within the virtual world of SL. Examples for this are installments of Bryn Oh or Mistero Hifeng. Fiona Fei certainly belongs in the second category of SL artists. Fei’s installments at the Shui Mo Gallery will capture the mind of a visitor right away. The name “Shui Mo” derives from the Chinese art of inkbrush painting. I sure hope Fiona can forgive me, but to me, Shui Mo is ‘breathing’ Zen— in a brilliant way, I must add! But by doing so, I might just have dragged Shui Mo from China to Japan. So, sorry about that! Take your time at Shui Mo, and give full attention to all the details. At first glance, the paintings hanging on the walls of the huge hallway are just that: Lovely Chinese or Zen inspired paintings. But not so fast! A closer look reveals that the pieces are truly three dimensional. Wait! The fishes and birds in those frames are ‘alive’!

When opening the big red gates at the end of the hallway, the visitor becomes part of Fiona’s installment. One actually walks through it, within it, and let the images calm their overly active minds— eventually, the body will follow suit when one lets the mind slowly shift into a perfectly still, balanced state. Some may find it takes a few visits to reach that state. This is not to say the intention of this gifted artist is to provide a meditation realm. Fei certainly does have messages she passes along with her art. One installment at Shui Mo, for instance, is about abuse and violence— not an indicator of harmony and balance. Quite the contrary, actually.

Article & Photography by: Sammie Audion But for the purpose of this article, the focus is not on that particular installment. Our bodies suffer from the lack of harmony and balance in our life. Sure, harmony and balance does not pay for food and shelter, but they can make our daily rat race much more bearable. They can also improve our overall health because our mind tends to absorb unsolved issues onto our body. Our grandparents already said that sorrows and worries make us sick, and massaging out the ‘knots’ can only go so far. Certainly, current troubled times give us much to worry about. More and more governments do not put the well-being of their people at the forefront of their plans of action. An increasing portion of people experience social and political separation and economic hardship around the world. Misinformation and hatred close our minds and hearts. The aforementioned balance seems to get lost. Granted, this manifests itself in various degrees depending on one’s location, social association, and world view. So, how can this mess be fixed? The answer is rather simple but far from easy: We have to find that balance in our lives again, which is not an easy task for an individual living alone, a nation, or even the entire world. But it can be done— on the individual level, at least —in small steps, just putting one foot after the other. Focus on the essentials and the task at hand. Shui Mo masterfully captures simplicity and the ‘non-dualistic’ mindset. The black and white ink-painted landscapes are limited to essentials, providing detail through an artful mix of soft and hard strokes, each applied with a single sense of direction and purpose at the time. Often, multiple strokes reflect a bigger picture in perfect balance. So why not step into this piece of art and inhale the harmony all around while on the search for the quiet and balanced sanctuary deep inside oneself? We all need some time to charge our batteries; we need lots of charging in these troubled times. In this sense, enjoy the balanced beauty of Shui Mo.

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https://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dreams/149/42/2555

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MISS VIRTUAL WORLD 2020-INSPRIATIONAL INTEGRITY To be MVW it takes a woman of character, and commitment. Morgan Whitfield Firehawk is that woman in 2020 – and what a roller coaster year it has been! We are so lucky in RL and SL because Morgan has enriched so many lives. Kindness and perception are just some of Morgan’s many innate gifts, and an essential quality in all MVW. As Morgan told us, “I believe that love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries, and I like to extend compassion to those in need.” We know that being MVW was important to Morgan and wondered almost a year later what she thought the experience was like. “Being MVW was such a life-altering experience for me in SL and in RL. I was amazed because I never knew that my opinion and knowledge was so respected and listened to by so many. It was so amazing and humbling. I never understood that my actions would impact even one person.” It is hard to sometimes practice what you believe in, and, in this regard, Morgan is iconic. Morgan has been an advocate for women since 2014 with the Care For Help Center that that helps women overcome domestic violence. There are so many reasons why Morgan is an inspiration, perhaps it is her concept of beauty, and the way she treats people, we need more kindness. Maybe it is the way she styles and interprets - and, then again, there is the way she supports her cause as a domestic violence advocate at the Care and Hope Center in SL. The lesson here is to always be true to what is important. “When people find out what I do at the Center, most are surprised. Some question why am I doing domestic violence awareness in SL because “It’s only a game”. I do not share that thought -- at all. It is an experience and a journey, so many send me IM’s out of the blue and tell me their story and, with some, I try to help them sort out their thoughts.” One thing Morgan hoped to achieve, as MVW was a better understanding of domestic violence. “I hope that as MVW, I accomplished my goal to show the SL community that domestic and sexual violence is a problem that will not “go away” or one that we can “escape from.” We must deal with this serious problem that affects everyone around the world.

Article By: Sita Writer|Photography : MMorgan Whitfield I hope that people will just think about domestic violence...maybe make it a topic of conversation amongst your friends, family or at your college campus. The more we are aware, the more we can stomp out the stigma of being silent because no one will believe her/him. I think I wanted to show the SL community that I am a humble person. I am no better than the Jane next to me nor am I beneath her. We walk hand in hand. I will help you if you allow it.” Morgan believes that BOSL is a place to thrive with compassion, humor, and creativity. “I cannot thank Reign, Jamee, Issy and all of the staff at BOSL/MVW/BLVD, for their continued support. I so grateful to Reign for offering me a gorgeous satellite store at the BOSL Innovation Pavilion Shopping Complex where guests can pick up information regarding the Center as well as know why I created my store Heels. Whatever I wanted to help with either my Center or my Event, I Said NO SL to Benefit RAINN, they are there for guidance, advice and of course their support.” Simply put, when you see Morgan out on the grid, or in videos, or social media or even in BOSL Magazine… she wants you to see her not only as MVW… “I am honored that many will correlate me with my reign as MVW and as the girl who wants to bring Domestic Violence awareness in SL. I also want peeps to know that if they want to know something new about domestic violence statistics or facts or where to talk to a trained advocate to seek assistance in their real life situation, the Care and Hope Center is always open to them and if they need to contact me, I am there for them always.” What was your best moment or most meaningful moment of being MVW beside winning For me, receiving SOOO many enthusiastic thanks from the wonderful vendors and artists of my first I Said NO SL Event to Benefit RAINN back in May.

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When i even mentioned about creating another event, but smaller, in December, I received an astounding support from the designers/creators/artists. I was kind of sad that I was not able to raise thousands of dollars for RAINN, but Jamee Sandalwood told me that for my first charity event, I did very well. That meant so much to me coming from a woman who runs Rock Your Rack and Models Giving Back. What do you want people to know about MVW Being Miss Virtual World is NOT easy. You have a LOT of responsibilities that come with this title. What you say, what you do, how you act.

Morgan is an advocate for domestic violence and BOSL is a strong advocate as well. “This title brought about a lot of dialog regarding domestic violence and sexual violence. That is what I wanted...discussion either inworld or in one’s real life. People honestly gravitated towards me more to share their stories and others asked how they could help with my Care and Hope Center. It was really so moving for me and at times overwhelming. I was used to maybe, if I am lucky, someone approaching me once a month asking for domestic violence information or just someone to talk to. Some were surprised my Center had always existed since 2014.” “When people found out what I did at the Care and Hope Center, most were surprised. But I was involved as a domestic violence advocate since 2014.

Some would question why am I doing domestic violence awareness in Second Life “It’s only a game.” I do not share that thought at all. Many would send me IM’s out of the blue and just tell me their story. Many find me a release, and others I help sort out their thoughts. Reign, Jamee, Issy and all the staff at BOSL/MVW/BLVD, continues to support why I entered MVW and what I want to do. Reign offered me a gorgeous satellite store at the beautiful BOSL Innovation Pavilion Shopping Complex. When guests visit the BOSL Pavilion, they can pick up information regarding the Center as well as know why I created my store Heels. Whatever I wanted to help with either my Center or my Event, I Said NO SL to Benefit RAINN, they are there for guidance, advice and of course their support.”

Morgan is not only gentle, but she is also compassionate and, she holds those close to her heart in her heart… in both lives… “As for my real life, I gained so many friends that I consider my real life friends. I also have bonded close with so many people that I consider family. I cannot narrow one or several things that have been a blessing to me as MVW since I consider any experience as a life lesson.” Morgan is motivating, and a joy to emulate, especially in 2020, a challenging time in all lives. “I am always here for women that are challenged – it is something that I care deeply about and always will.”

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE XMAS Article and Photos by Arya Braveheart What a year it has been. I am looking forward to it being over and done with and am hoping for a way better year in 2021. But first, we need to enjoy Christmas, and for some of us, that is going to look quite different this year. The joy of Second Life is that we can celebrate these holidays in any way we want. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to wear masks when we go out or meet in small groups or stay in our homes unless we want to. We can decorate our SL homes, party, or meet with our families. In fact, maybe SL is the way to meet with all of your family this year! So, in honour of a COVID-free space, here is my decorating of a gorgeous house from Trompe Loeil called the Kaavia Modern Cottage. I have managed to fit in three spaces: lounge/dining/kitchen, bedroom, and a separate lounge area for the kids. Enjoy. The first space is the open plan lounge, dining, and kitchen area. I had fun with this because it is not a wide-open space but also contains this amazing fire area, which has a built in log storage area. This lent itself to some fun decor and organisation. I also love doing kitchens, although I do find myself feeling slightly peckish by the end of it because the food all just looks so delicious. Lastly, the table setting here was just perfect, and I was so glad to discover it before I did this article. As you can imagine, finding items in November can be quite challenging!

Photos and Article by Arya Braveheart The kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lounge was fun to do, too, and I just fell in love with the train! It didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fit in my downstairs living room area, so I had to create this whole room scene just to show it off. It was totally worth it. Lastly was the bedroom, which I kept pretty low-key decorations-wise. I think the bedroom would be the place of respite from all the hustle and bustle of Christmas and holiday prep. A sanctuary from the rest of the family, too! I hope you have enjoyed all my articles and pics this year. I wanted to mix it up a bit, and I am already planning some goodies for 2021. I want to wish you all Merry Christmas and a very safe New Year. Here is hoping that 2021 is so much better than 2020. Feliz navidad! Credits: 22769 - Vintage Egg Containers, Sneakers, Tied Books, Brass Floorlamp, Heart Wall Art 8f8 - Trea Time - Rose Tea Set ACORN - Clock and Book Stack -Green Andika - [pomme]02 <Aphrodite> - Christmas Hot Choco & Gingerbread cookies Tray Apple Fall - Happy Santa Figure (Berry) Ariskea - {Winter Nostalgia} Mirtille Plant, [CozyNight] Choco & tea

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Astralia - Cat Succulent Plant (White) Atelier Burgundy - Tree Bookshelf . Texture Change BackBone - Kitten’s Comfy Box Bazar - Arizona-Kitchen trash bin BROKEN ARROWS - Cozy Moments - Painting 3 - Red Blanket :Cheeky Pea: - Cabin Parcel Presents, Mince Pies for Christmas Eve!, Cabin Star Lamp CHEZ MOI - Firewood Holder Chaud, Fall Cookies, Chaleur Coffee, Christmas Gift Boxes [CIRCA] - “Savoir Faire” Platter of Festive Donuts - Xmas, Dawn: Velvet Area Rug - Red hive // wall pot rack - silver, “Winter Woodland” Space Heater - Holiday Red, “Aspen Winter” Poinsettia Planter - Natural, “Woodlands” Array of Stars Wall Light - Silver Wire, “Soleil d’Hiver” Holiday Jug Vase - Snow Decor Junction - Hall Table Decor, Armchair Nook Grey Decor Junction and ShutterField - Kos Sofa - MF PG - White, Coffee Table, Rug - Green JIAN - Wicker Forest Cat Bed JTD - Entry Way - Coat Rack Image Essentials - Full Perm Mesh Cat - Poking 1 KAZZA - NuitdeNoel - armchair (PG), floorlamp, carpet, xmas stars, StudioLoungeSofa - wholebells, table stand and candles, cranberry-branches KraftWork - Ceramique Standing Books, Grasmere Collection - Small Vase Creme Kuro & [Con.] - [Christmas bits] Tiny Santa RARE [LoPo Furnishings] - Word Grid Wall Art Merak] - Starry Telescope, Mini Winter Wonderland MINIMAL - Autumn Home Set - Plants, Autumn Home Set - Books

Mithral * Plant Trio + Shelf (Pack A) Muniick- (PG) Llewellyn Tightback Sofa, Ottoman, Tightback Armchair w/ Blanket, Coffee Table, Vintage Silver Tea Set, Hanging Lamp - Long Chain, Magnifying Glass and Books, Wool Rug, Small House Plant in Ceramic Jug MVT - My makeup routine - 1, Beauty time products - Pink [ Organica ] - Shelved Books .peaches. - Finn Pumpkin Bread, June’s Cookies and Milk - light Serenity Style - Merry Christmas, It`s Christmas - Gift Boxes, Picture Frames 1 & 2, Magic Christmas Bottle, Tiny Heart Robot -RED, Nani Mouse, Nani Cat Sit, Rag Bunny, Loly Xmas Sack tarte. - sheet music lights, tiny house lights Trompe Loeil - Himmeli Wreath, Leaf Wrapped Gifts, Floor Bells, Hammered Silver Star, Reindeer Wall Hanging, Lit Branch + Bucket, Let It Snow Decorative Sled {vespertine} - kitchen crate / herbs, woodland owly utensil jar. {what next} - Calm & Bright Wall Collage, Sofia Cookie Canister, ‘Winter Treats’ Chocolate Cake, Favourite Recipes Cookbook, Pumpkin Roll Cake, Christmas Wall Collage, Christmas Cookie Candle 1 {Your Dreams} - Christmas Dining Room and Settings, Colorful christmas tree - Natural, Santa’s train - Train {Color light}, Yourself bedroom - Bed A/PG, Decorative Bench, Tray

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AVAJEAN WESTLAND

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Bodysuit | N-core NATASHA - White Skirt | MAJESTY - Clear Skater [monogram] Top | DIRAM - Fabric6/White Ice Skates | Pure Poison - Alice Headdress | SinfulSky - Winter Queen Eyeshadow | .AiShA. Filligree White Earrings | Belle Epoque { Extraordinaire } White

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Tops: Mimikri Alexis Fur Sleeve Jacket & ISON - Julie Leather Harness Pants: Rowne. Xinyu Crepe Trousers Hair-Wrap: EMO-tions Hairpiece V Bracelet: Cae Infinity Bracelet Earrings: Shanghai Ania Diamond Earrings Headpiece: [hh] Tikka Pearl - Forehead Rings: Fleur. Dainty Bag: MY MALEM - Silver Eyeshadow: S.E. Catwa Electric Love Collection Lipstick: S.E. Catwa Frida Kahlo Collection Lips-------------------JUMO HYORI Lips

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GizzA - “Baroque Fiori Lace Shirt” Bjorn - “Ami Tuxedo Trouser” NX-Nardcotix - “Ezra Coat” Miu - “Rose White Top” #3M - Bento Gown Gloves .peculiar things - “Burning Glory Cap” A&M - My Fav Bracelet (Yummy) - “Raining Diamonds” Bento Rings (Yummy) - “Winter Solstice Rings” [Gos] - Lea Stretch-Knit Boots Deetalez - lip gloss Opale. - “Miranda Hair”

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LIAM

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Hair - WINGS-HAIR-TZ1008 Ears - Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Etre Olympe mesh ears Shoulder Fur - FAKEICON / SEC02 shoulder fur / white Shirt - FAKEICON / monet shirt Ring - MARKED - Crown Ring Pant - -David Heather-Gant Slacks/Cream

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POISON ROUGE Audrey Gown (White) -FABIA- Mesh Hair < Katrin> Chop Zuey Celestia Choker and Earrings Body Glitter ..:*HoneY*:.. Izzieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s - Silver Glitter Make-Up & Silver Glitter Freckles [FORMANAILS] NAILS BALLERINA 1

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Dress : {ABC} Sahiti V. Inspired Gown White Shoes : Rowne Jai Classic Pumps Deluxe White Earrings: -shanghai Colin White Necklace: -sanghai Collin White Hair : Doe. Emma Indecisive White

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DRESS: #LANA // The Clara Gown - 12 GLOVES: Entice - Panic Button Bento Gloves White HEELS: :::ChicChica::: Freya Silver EARRINGS: MG - Earrings - Miya Jewelled HEADPIECE: irrISIStible FROZEN ELF Headpiece & Horns Blue NECKLACE: irrISIStible FROZEN ELF Necklace Blue HAIR: Tableau Vivant // Fiona add-on

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Tops | DIRAM - SHE 02 Top_ Lace S(Yummy) Snowflake Rings - Pearl Pearl Earrings PROMAGIC Chaya -Legacy Stealthic - Purity (S Breast) UNA. MariaAntoniete Dress (Mait.) white Violent Seduction - Madame Rosier Crown (White) [Enchante’] - Elodie Heels - Legacy - White BODY SHINE: Izzie’s - Body & Face Shine EYESHADOW: alaskametro<3 “Astral” eyeshadow

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Jacket | COCO Designs - COCO* Puffer Vest Top & Bottom | American Beauty - Tiana Shoes: | Renegade - Adriana Hat: | Tentacio - Lady Pain

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AtaMe - Lady Dragon High Waist Skirt Addams // Diamond Corset Moon Elixir x MUSE - Dripping In Luxury Coat -JF- Design - Flora Hat FAKEICON / mary gems collar The Annex - Snow Queen Pearl Earrings Zibska ~ Nemea Eyemakeup Izzieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s - Silver Glitter Make-Up

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Skirt | Wytchwhisper - Lace Evening Skirt - 4 Jacket | Antaya - Fur Jacket Aurora White Jewels | Dead Dolls - Jewel Body Decoration Eyeshadow | Zibska - Raya Hud Lipstick | Izzyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s - Halloween Lipstick HUD Lip Glitter | {SO} - Queen Beauty Glitter Brows | [SB] - JuliaEarth Large Lowtail Brows Gloves | Meva - Gloves 2 Hat | Plastix - Fur Cossack Hat White Hair | Stealthic - Desire B+W Necklace | Kunglers - Lori Necklace

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Dress: Kaithleen - Lolita Shoes: Breathe - Raven Heels Hair: Stealthic - Dawn Wings: Essence _ Maitreya Gloves: Lybra - Crista Earring: PKC - Snow Flake Shoulder gems: - Static - Frostbitten

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TIME TO CELEBRATE Article by: CompE|Photography: Contestants|Writing: Cara Paine The month of December is renowned for social gatherings to observe popular holidays. While the most popular ones are cultural or religious in nature, many other days are set aside for celebrating such themes as health, people, pets and animals, food, and the natural world. Religious observances are among the earliest known celebrations. While most in North America are familiar with Christmas and Christmas Eve, the Christian festivals of Posadas Navidenas (Mexico) on December 15 and Simbang Gabi (Philippines) on December 16 also take place during December. Buddhists also have a special day: on December 8, they celebrate Rohatsu (Bodhi Day). From December 10–18, Jewish people celebrate the holiday of Chanukah. Religion isn’t the only reason to celebrate, however, as some cultures have their own celebrations. The holiday of Kwanzaa starts on December 26 and celebrates tenants of the African American culture such as unity (umoja) and purpose (nia). The Scottish holiday of Hogmanay also serves as a New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31.

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Whether the holiday is religious or cultural, all celebrations are social by nature. So it makes sense that dates are set aside for things like friendship– such as Giving Tuesday (December 3), National Letter Writing Day (December 7), National Thank You Note Day (December 26), and National Call a Friend day (December 28). With all the social distancing, such dates have more resonance this year as many gatherings are being limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Observing these kinds of holidays allows us to keep our distance while still letting our family and friends know how much they mean to us. With all the deaths due to the pandemic, holidays such as Worldwide Candle Lighting Day (December 13) are even more poignant. This is a holiday set aside for remembering the lost lives of children. A similar holiday is National Wreaths Across America Day(December 19), where time is spent remembering those who lost their lives in military service. Staying healthy is something that many people are taking very seriously this year.

Photography & Article: Yshiara Cerise One of the things we have been consistently told is to “Wash your hands!”. So that makes this year’s National Handwashing Awareness Week (from the 1st to the 7th) even more important to observe.

December 2nd is National Mutt Day for mixed breed dogs, National Llama Day is on the 9th, National Horse Day is on the 13th and on the 14th is Monkey Day.

While not pandemic related, other serious illnesses and conditions have dates in December. On the 1st is World Aids Day, and on the 3rd, is National Disability Day. Then there is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention that runs all month long.

Other holidays that celebrate our natural world are International Mountain day (December 11), National Poinsettia Day (December 12), and one of the more common ones is celebration of the Winter Solstice (Yule, December 21).

Another month-long observance is related to human rights, as December is Universal Human Rights Month with December 10th being International Human Rights Day. Human rights affect every single man, woman, and child on the planet, so they are especially important. But human beings aren’t the only ones that have days set aside for them in December: several animals have their own day during this month, too.

Regardless of what occasion brings people together, one common theme persists among them all: food! Many treats have special days set aside for them during the month of December. Some are: cookies, gazpacho, cotton candy, brownies, pastries, lager, ice cream, cupcakes, chocolate covered anything, maple syrup, hard candy, sangria, coquito, fruitcake, chocolate candy, and bacon. On December 22, Cookie Exchange Day takes place for people to share the sweet little wafers with friends. For those with an architectural bent, Gingerbread House Day is on December 12.

These animal-related holidays are set aside to raise awareness and to recognize their contributions to our lives and issues affecting their existence.

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The celebrations arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all serious. Some are also whimsical, such as December 8thâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pretend to be a Time Traveller Day. That holiday is very appropriate, as December is a time when we look back upon the year that is ending while looking forward to all the things that will happen in the year ahead. How we mark the turning of the year may be different for 2020, yet there is still much to celebrate. Happy Holidays, everyone!

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CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS Depending on who you talk to, Christmas can be celebrated in various ways-- or not at all. Besides the most common Christian interpretation, other interpretations of the origin of Christmas can be found with some minor research. Historians often talk about Pagan traditions in this context, usually related to the celebration of Yule-- the winter solstice starting on December 21 and going into January. Philip Shaw, a researcher of early Germanic languages and Old English at Leicester University in the U.K., stated that early Christians tried to convert Pagans, but they were fascinated by their traditions. So why not repackage Yule into the celebration of the birth of Jesus? Certainly a smart marketing move if this truly is how it happened. Interestingly, the Yule celebrations during Christmas became known as Christmastide. To give another angle to the story, Deus Sol Invictus, or Sol for short, is a Roman god introduced by Totus Tatius who lived around and after the given birthday of Jesus. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sol dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was observed on December 25, so there seems to be a certain focus on the coldest season of the year with the least daylight. Keep in mind, the Roman Empire reached incredibly far back in the day, giving an umbrella for various cultures and people. This article does not intend to prove any of these origins wrong or a particular one true. The purpose is more to get an insight into deep harbored feelings humans obviously have: the urge for belonging, especially through the cold and dark winter months of the year. This becomes particularly true the further north you get. This approach might help some of us to discover another way to look at this very central celebration of our western civilization. The desire to celebrate family during this time was not simply a pastime because it was dark and cold out. Survival had much to do with it in the past, as families and tribes depended on each other and everyone had to do their part.

Article & Photography by: Sammie Audion Moreover, sitting around the fire in the warmth of the camp or house was a good way to deal with fear-- and back then, there were several reasons to be fearful. In a nutshell, it seems agreeable that Christmas represents-- at least in part --family, belonging, protection, safety, and comfort-- and by extension, love. This indicates that we are all not so different after all. Regardless of what our religious beliefs are (or aren’t), what our political viewpoints are, how we generally understand the world around us-- Christmas is based on the basic needs we all share. Statements like ‘They just want to steal or abolish Christmas’ are simply absurd on so many levels. You cannot simply stop having a basic need or cry for the ‘theft’ of tradition that was never anyone’s possession to begin with. Besides, the celebration of Christmas is written into the western culture far beyond the religious base. When in doubt, just visit a shopping mall during Advent. In any case, during those Christmas celebrations, it might be a good idea to approach people with a little more compassion and tolerance. The current level of division in some countries in the western hemisphere is neither very Christian, nor in the spirit of Christmas. To be clear, the term ‘Christian’ is used here in relation to Christmas. Really, it is meant to express the need to do the morally right thing in these troubled times. Wouldn’t that be a lovely spirit for the festivities? Granted, COVID-19 makes the festive homecoming a little difficult, and some may choose to celebrate Christmas virtually. Second Life (SL) is the perfect platform for that. Creative sim designers create breathtaking scenes of Magic Winter Wonderlands. How about a sled ride or riding a tram to the mountaintop? How about standing in the middle of a blizzard while staying cosy and warm in Real Life (RL)?

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Not a problem. Or perhaps look for a magic place in a snowy forest and come together with the entire family, who are located in different places in RL? No flights or icy roads needed to get there! Ok, perhaps Grandma needs a little help to get a suitable avatar. In that sense, dear reader, we from BOSL wish you a Merry Christmas.

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