HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-12-19, Page 33THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013. PAGE 33.
Lately, Christmas around the
Kelly house is exciting and new
according to patriarch David.
Kelly and his wife Vanessa and
their children Logan and Olive
will be celebrating their first
Christmas with the newest addition
to the family, four-month old Owen.
Along with being a father of three,
Kelly is the Vice-President of the
Blyth Lions Club as well as vice-
chair of the 14/19 Campaign
Committee, a project looking to
create a centre for culture and arts in
Blyth.
When asked about what the
Christmas plans would be around his
home, he said he was looking
forward to establishing some new
family practices.
“We’re just starting,” he said. “We
work on the tree, and do the regular
Christmas stuff, but we’re working
on new traditions.”
Two things he is really looking
forward to, however, are his wife’s
culinary expertise and watching
Owen enjoy his first holiday.
“My wife’s baking and cooking
are unbelievable, she’s amazing in
the kitchen,” he said. “I’m also
looking forward to watching my
little guy open his presents.”
Growing up, Kelly said Christmas
was a lot of fun around his house
because his parents made every
effort to keep it that way but also
kept the meaning of the holiday
foremost.
“Mom decorated and did all the
fancy things,” he said. “They never
let us forget the reason for Christmas
though. We lit an Advent candle
every Sunday and went to Church on
Christmas Eve.”
One of his fondest memories of
the holidays is sneaking out to try
and find out what was hidden in his
Christmas presents, a practice he
shared with his four sisters.
“Growing up, I just remember
Christmas being so much fun,” he
said. “We would sneak out and try
and see our presents and it got so
bad that one year my mom put bells
on the doors.”
That wouldn’t stop the young
Kellys, however, as they found a
way around it.
“We would sneak out and stuff
tissue into the bells earlier in the
night so that we could get out and
see the gifts,” he said. “We were like
little ninjas.”
After a few years, sneaking out for
presents wasn’t really necessary, but
Kelly said spending that time with
his sisters is still important.
“We get together every year and
have a big meal and presents, but
we’re all just happy to see each
other,” he said.
Kelly also noted he is close not
only with his family but with his
wife’s side of the family as well.
“We see each other a lot more than
once a year, but it’s still great to get
together for Christmas,” he said.
Kelly has been a member of his
other family, The Blyth Lions Club,
for four years now and has been the
Vice-President for the last two.
While his father was a Lions
member and that played a part in his
choice to join, his father hadn’t yet
become a member until after Kelly
had grown up. The big push to
become a member came from
Murray Nesbitt, who convinced
Kelly to join, however it wasn’t until
after Nesbitt had passed away in
2009 that Kelly decided to join the
club.
The Lions’ Christmas traditions
have become part of Kelly’s own, he
said. including both a fundraiser
which, this year, included a dance
and a hypnotist stage show and a
private Christmas party for members
of the Lions and their family, which
included a visit from Santa Claus,
held last week.
“The big public event is a lot of
fun and it raises money for the
community,” he said. “The other
party is for the kids and grandkids of
the members and it’s a lot of fun
too.”
New addition
The Kelly family will be shaking things up this year as father David, right, and mother Vanessa
welcomed baby Owen to the fold. Owen is shown here being held by his brother Logan and
beside his sister Olive. David is the Vice-President of the Blyth Lions Club and the Vice-Chair
of the Campaign 14/19 Committee. (Photo submitted)
Kelly, sisters were ‘little ninjas’ at Christmas
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