HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-12-21, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2017.
Numerous traditions continue at the Baan house
Continued from page 14
Christians make sure to attend
church on Dec. 26, which is St.
Stephen's Day. However, many
people simply celebrate a second
day of Christmas, preparing and
Snowflakes
Maitland River Elementary School's Grade 1 classes put on
several special performances during the school's annual
concert day last week. Above, decked out in their snowflake
whites for the Grade 1 D/2A class performance, are, from
left: Maddy Van Camp, Rachel Foxton, Hailey Hanna and
Sophia Morrison. (Denny Scott photo)
eating a large meal with their friends
and family members.
When Baan came to Canada in
1980, however, she left many of
those traditions back in Europe. She
met her husband Don here in Canada
and they would go on to make a
home together in Walton and have
three children together. With
Monique as the only one with
immediate Dutch heritage, many of
the traditions of her homeland fell
by the wayside.
She says, however, that things
were different back then though as
well. Now, with how multicultural
Canada is, new Canadians are
encouraged to maintain traditions
from their home countries and make
Canada as eclectic of a country as
possible. Back then, however, the
emphasis was on fitting in and
adopting all that Canada had to offer
with its own heritage and leaving
many aspects of your previous
country's heritage behind.
She has brought some traditions to
her Walton home, like putting
chocolate letters (a chocolate cut-out
of the first letter in the child's name)
in her children's stockings every
year.
In a way, however, the tradition of
Sinterklaas has continued with the
Baans. They often host a holiday
get-together the first week of
December (which would be St.
Nicholas Day in the Netherlands),
but it's done usually because that's
when everyone in the family can be
together and the weather hasn't
become too much of a factor.
In terms of the family's Canadian
Christmas celebrations, weather
always plays a factor, as Don has
Euchre rememberd by Nesbitts
Continued from page 15
and said that, for at least three days,
extended family was snowed in at
the Nesbitt house, so they started to
eat the turkey. Lena explained that,
of the remaining turkeys, each was
cut in half and for months the
family, every two weeks, would
cook another half turkey and eat it
all week.
The family also has a long
tradition with crokinole and cards.
Lena's mother in particular
was known for enjoying time
around the dining room table
playing both.
"We used to play cards with my
mom and we couldn't get her to
leave until she won a hand," Lena
said with a laugh, saying the family
played euchre and other card games.
Ron, however, had a different
Wishing
you and
your furry
family
members
a safe
and
joyous
holiday
season.
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memory of his grandmother with
her not leaving until someone was
able to beat her at crokinole.
Lena said her family has a long
history with the game of skill and
said the board played on every
Christmas was in her family for
generations and inspired some great
games and rivalries around the
holidays.
been a Huron East snowplow
operator for the last 20 years. So, no
matter if it's Christmas Eve or
Christmas Day, if the snow flies,
Don may be on the job and unable to
join the festivities.
Don being called out to work,
however, isn't the end of the world.
Monique says that while Christmas
celebrations have had to be put on
hold at times, or shifted, they always
happen once everyone is together in
the same place at the same time.
Baan children, Adam, Ryan and
Emma, say they know better than to
make their way towards the
Christmas tree on Christmas
morning if their parents have yet to
wake. This was more of a challenge
in their younger years, but they
know the drill. They're not allowed
there unless their parents get there
first.
Monique says the children have
always been very patient about gifts
on Christmas morning, which makes
life easier around the house.
The Baans always attend church
on Christmas Eve. For the longest
time, they would go to Duff's United
Church in Walton, but when the
church was forced into closure, they
began changing it up every year,
usually in Brussels or Blyth at one of
their churches.
On Christmas Day, however, the
family stays to themselves and
spends time at home, just the five of
them.
As far as the Christmas tree is
concerned, it is a canvas for quite a
history of John Deere ornaments.
What began as a small gift from
Don to Monique in the 1990s has
grown into a must -have every year
and the family's tree is filled with
decades' worth of ornaments
celebrating the farm company. The
script has been flipped, however, as
the ornament is always a gift for Don
every year, building on a tradition
that began with Don giving an
ornament as a gift.
Get information
on Huron County attractions
on the
Stops Along The Way
section of our website
www.northhuron.on.ca
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Open - Tues. - Fri. -10 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday, Dec. 23 - 9 am - 2:30 pm
Sunday, Dec. 24 - 9 am - noon
439 Turnberry St., Brussels
519-887-9682 El
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Season's
Greetings
to all my
valued customers
and friends
from
Joe's Automotive
611 Cedar St., Wingham
519-357-4527
1-101tpAl GkEETINGS
The Municipality of Central Huron Council and
Municipal Staff join together to wish you
peace and serenity this holiday season..
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THE MUNICIPALITY
OF CENTRAL HURON
PLEASE NOTE:
THE MUNICIPAL OFFICE WILL BE CLOSED
MONDAY, DECEMBER 25, 2017
AND WILL REOPEN
TUESDAY, JANUARY 2, 2018 at 8:30 AM
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