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THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2017. PAGE 21.
Holiday baking defines Christmas with the Kings
It's called fashion
Blyth Festival General Manager Rachael King, second from
left, is seen here with her siblings during a past Christmas
where seasonal pajamas were definitely on Santa's gift list.
King says she uses the holidays to flex her baking muscle,
a skill that has been handed down to her from generations
earlier. From left: Adam, Rachael, Virginia and Grace. (Photo
submitted)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Rachael King, General Manager
of the Blyth Festival, is the keeper of
many Christmas traditions that have
been passed down through her
family. One of the most important
(and tastiest), however, is baking in
December.
One of the few things King says
she isn't humble about in her life is
her baking abilities. She can whip up
some absolute masterpieces in the
kitchen, she says, a skill that has
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been passed down to her through the
generations.
When she was a little girl, King
says she remembers baking
alongside her mother in the kitchen
for hours when the holidays rolled
around.
Growing up in Fordwich, King
said the schools always had a P.A.
Day every November or December
and her mother always made sure to
take the day off so the family could
bake all day. King says the family
literally baked "hundreds of dozens"
of Christmas treats that would then
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be distributed throughout the
holidays. Whether you were one of
the kids' piano teachers or a family
friend, there was hand -made, from -
scratch Christmas baking with your
name on it.
King isn't the only one, her two
sisters have also gotten in on the act,
carrying the baking tradition into the
next generation.
The family's baking history didn't
start with King's mother, however.
Her grandmother was a fall fair
baking judge and her grandfather
was no slouch in the kitchen either,
doing his fair share of baking in his
day as well.
The holidays go beyond the
kitchen for the Kings, however, and
King says that there is a good chance
that she may start a bit of a tradition
on her own this year as a new
homeowner.
In October, King bought a home in
Clinton and, since housing all of the
family under one roof has
increasingly become a concern over
the years, it looks like she may be
hosting people at her house this
holiday season.
Usually, King said that everyone
tries to make their way back to
Fordwich for the holidays at her
parents' home. As siblings have
become more spread out, spouses
come on board and schedules get
complicated, it has been harder and
harder, but the family policy is that
whenever everyone can be in the
same place at the same time in the
general vicinity of December, that's
when Christmas will be for the
Kings.
There have been times, she said,
where the family has celebrated
November-mas or October-mas,
even September-mas, all because it
meant the whole family would be
together, which for the family is the
priority.
King's brother now lives in British
Columbia and with King's career in
theatre, there were times when she
would be across the country over the
holidays, so it hasn't always been
easy, but the family has always
found a way to make it work.
Once together, the King siblings
always, somehow, find a way to
stack themselves uncomfortably
upon one another and take a selfie.
Sometimes it's a bed, King said,
sometimes it's a couch, sometimes
it's a staircase, but they always find
a way to get it done.
There are some physical
reminders of Christmas that have
stayed with King over the years,
both of which were gifts from when
she was a little girl.
The first thing that comes to mind
is a simple Christmas tree ornament
given to her by her grandparents.
King still has it today, she said,
although she's not exactly sure it's in
great condition,
"It was a small mouse covered in
grey fur," King said. "It still exists
and it's really special."
She was only three or four years
old when she and her grandparents
went shopping for the ornament. So,
while the mouse may have a little
less fur than it did when it was first
given to her, it still exists and has
made the trip with her to her new
Continued on page 24
PAR
WARM WISHES FOR A
HAPPY AND HEALTHY
HOLIDAY SEASON
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