HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-12-20, Page 23THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2012. PAGE 23.
For Huron East Councillor David
Blaney, Christmas has changed a
bit over the years, but there is one
thing he has kept sacred that has
been in his family since before he
was.
When the Christmas season
returns every year, one of the first
things to be displayed in Blaney’s
home is the Crèche (Nativity scene).
Blaney says he can remember the
scene being displayed at his parents’
home when he was young and so can
his older brother, meaning that the
figurines likely predate Blaney
himself.
The scene is made up of several
ceramic figurines made with
detail and craftsmanship. The
figurines form a full Nativity scene
featuring Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the
Three Wisemen and barnyard
animals.
Blaney says you can tell the scene
is old because many of the figurines
have their base marked with their
price: 39 cents.
The scene remained a staple in his
parents’ house for decades before
it made the jump to Blaney’s
house, where it has remained ever
since.
Christmas these days is pretty
simple around the Blaney house, he
says. Blaney and his wife Sheana’s
two sons Kieran and Eachunn come
home for the holidays (Kieran
attends Nippissing University
and Eachunn attends Lambton
College) and one of the first things
they do is go and get a Christmas
tree.
Blaney says it has become a
tradition that he and his sons go and
get the Christmas tree together. He
says his family has always favoured
a real tree over a fake one.
Blaney says that while there isn’t a
problem with a fake Christmas tree,
there is just a different feeling and
smell that comes along with a real
Christmas tree.
The tree, however, has to be
spruce, with Sheana allergic to pine.
Blaney says there was one Christmaswhere he wife couldn’t come withinfive feet of the Christmas tree or shewould have an allergic reaction, so
that was the first and last time the
family had a pine tree for
Christmas.
Decorating the tree has also
become somewhat of a tradition,
Blaney says, as he and Sheana
attempt to change up the decorations
a bit every year.
He said that being the youngest in
the family, he tends to be the
“repository” of artifacts from the
family and he attempts to
incorporate them into Christmas
decorating every year.
As David and Sheana started their
own family, they came to the table
with different traditions. In Sheana’s
family, David said, the family
opened up their gifts at midnight on
Christmas morning, while in David’s
family, they waited until the
morning and had some breakfast
first. Breakfast on Christmas
morning, however, generally didn’t
take too long with Blaney and his
brother.
“Usually breakfast consisted of a
hurried piece of toast before we
could open our presents,” Blaney
said.
Blaney says memories of
Christmas from his childhood
weren’t necessarily linked to one
specific place, or home. His family
moved around a lot, as his father was
a member of the Royal Canadian
Air Force. He said some of his
earliest Christmas memories werefrom when the family lived inCooksville, which is a town theBlaneys left when David was in
Grade 2.
When Blaney was very young, he
remembered living in a small house
with his parents. It was the first
house his parents had ever owned
and it was so small that Blaney
and his brother had to share a
bedroom.
He says he can distinctly
remember staying up nearly all night
before Christmas morning one year
because neither of them could get to
sleep because of the anticipation of
Christmas morning.
“We had to be quiet, because our
parents would hear us, but we would
sit up in our beds and discuss it,”
Blaney said.
He said he remembers that
morning clearly as the sun began to
come up as they could see a group of
rabbits playing in the adjacent field.
“That was the year my brother got
an electric train set, which he still
has,” Blaney said.
As Blaney grew up, the family
moved to Georgetown, which is
where he lived for the majority of his
high school and college life. Blaney
began having friends over on
Christmas eve. He said it was a great
chance to have friends over before
his family got together the next day.
It would eventually be at one such
party near Christmas that he would
meet Sheana and they would begin
their life together.
Nativity scene spells Christmas for Blaney
A long-standing tradition
A long-standing tradition in Huron East Councillor David Blaney’s life has been this Nativity
scene that has been in his family longer than he has. He says it had been a part of his parents’
holidays for as long as he can remember. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
from the council and staff of the
Municipality of Huron East
M erry C hristma s
Wishing you and your family peace & happiness throughout this Holiday Season!
Back row (L to R): Councillors Dianne Diehl, Nathan Marshall, Les Falconer,
Bob Fisher, Frank Stretton, Bill Siemon, David Blaney, Andrew Flowers.
Front row (L to R): CAO/Clerk Brad Knight, Councillor Larry McGrath,
Mayor Bernie MacLellan, Deputy-Mayor Joe Steffler, Councillor Alvin McLellan,
Finance Manager-Treasurer Paula Michiels.
The Huron East Municipal Office will be closed at noon on December 24th
and at noon on December 31st, 2012.
The first regular Council meeting in 2013 is scheduled for January 8th, 2013.
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen