HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-12-19, Page 38Christmas around the Cook
household in Blyth is changing
pretty dramatically this year
according to patriarch Les.
Les is a Blyth Legion member and
Pastor of the Blyth Church of God
who runs a dance studio with his
wife Jackie and the Queens Bakery
with Jackie and Rick and Anne
Elliott. He said that, as this was the
first year he wouldn’t have his two
daughters Britt and Katy around the
house, it was going to be a bit
different than normal including the
tree.
“Traditionally, we’ve done things a
lot differently than we’re doing this
year,” he said. “Usually, we would
have a real tree, but this year we’re
going to have an artifical one as the
kids won’t be home.”
Aside from the decorations, Cook
explained some of the traditional
activities the family participates in
will also be skipped this year,
including a 20-year-old family
favourite: carolling.
“Traditionally, we would go
Christmas carolling on Christmas
Eve, then come back home for treats
and hot chocolate,” Cook said.
“Usually we have eight to 10 people
from the church and we go to local
hospitals and nursing/retirement
homes.”
The practice, which Les said is
being discontinued because it’s
difficult to find people wanting to be
involved, is being put to rest after
20 years. It all started when
Jackie’s father was sick over the
holidays.
“We went to see him on Christmas
Eve to sing carols and we realized it
was a neat idea, then we started
doing it all the time.”
This year, however, the real tree
and carolling are being put to rest as
Les and Jackie head to a friend’s
home to celebrate Christmas.
With his children away, Les also
said another Christmas tradition may
be missed or may simply have
to happen without everyone in the
same room.
“Ever since the children were
small, they got to open one package
on Christmas Eve and that was their
Christmas pajamas,” he said, adding
he might try and send some pajamas
out to his daughters this year.
This isn’t the first time the Cook
family’s Christmas experience
underwent a transformation.
When he was young, he was the
second youngest of seven children
and, after counting up the nieces and
inlaws, family Christmases became
an important event.
“It was always a big deal,” he said.
“The house was full. We did the
traditional gift opening and a meal
and then we would do Christmas
with Jackie’s family.”
Things have changed since then,
however, and Les said people aren’t
putting as much time in with the
family throughout the holidays.
“We do a limited gift exchange,
which is nice, but the big thing now
is people don’t set aside two or three
days to celebrate with a family,” he
said. “Sometimes it’s just a day or
even a couple hours.”
He also said some of the creativity
has left the event.
“It’s not really a good or a bad
thing, but there isn’t a lot of
creativity on Christmas Day,” he
said. “You don’t have the car sets and
the dolls and the trains that you put
together and used your imagination
to have fun with. It’s a different
atmosphere.”
The time at Christmas, while there
is less and less of it for everyone,
has become more valuable as well
according to Cook.
“The time together is more
important,” he said. “We get to enjoy
each other’s company more when
we’re doing a smaller, or no, gift
exchange.”
He said as the family has become
more mature, there is a different
atmosphere.
Cook also believes Santa Claus is a
great representation of the season
even if, when he was young, he knew
where all his presents came from.
“Santa makes a great symbol for
Christmas,” he said. “He’s better
than the decorations and the gift
exchanges because he represents free
giving. It may lend to
commercialism, but he still
represents Christmas well.”
Pajamas and presents
While many traditions revolve around actions and symbols, some are a little less symbolic and
a little more warm and fuzzy. Les Cook told The Citizen about his family’s tradition of giving
pajamas to his daughters every year on Christmas Eve to wear that night. In this vintage photo,
Les is shown with his family. From left are Jackie, Britt, Les and Katie. (Photo submitted)
PAGE 38. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013.Christmas pajamas mark holidays for Cooks
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