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THE CITIZEN, MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1985. PAGE 15.
A memorable first Christmas in Canada
In August 1924, a big family
from Ireland landed in Blyth: my
father and mother and eight of us,
eleven children, a brother and
sister were aleady in Canada and
one brother was in the British
Army in India.
We settled in Blyth on the hill
(the house is no longer standing),
we attended the Anglican church:
Mr. Hawkins was the minister. We
BY EV ALENA WEBSTER
In my memory one Christmas
among "The Christmases that
used to be" stands out distinctly.
It was over seventy years ago.
We lived in Northern Ontario. My
mother had come from across the
river in Northern Michigan. To
visit grandma in the winter meant a
100 mile trip by train. We lived nine
miles from the station and it was
about the same at the other end,
but we were going to Grandma's
for Christmas.
There was very little snow so my
father decided it would be easy to
drive across the ice on the north
channel of Georgian Bay a distance
of only 18 miles.
The next day a sleigh load of
aunts and uncles and cousins came
from the Canadian Sault. There
was a big Christmas tree in the
corner of the front room and huge
coal stove with mica windows
through which one could watch the
flames. Santa wasn't coming until
after dinner but before he could
come each child had to say the
"piece" she or he had learned to
say for grandma. I stood on a chair
and said:
My counter pane is white as snow,
The hay was soft to Him I know,
My little Lord of long ago.
That was quite an accomplish-
ment. I had practiced it for weeks.
Soon a huge fur-clad Santa burst
into the room. Some of the little
ones were scared, but I whispered
to my mother "It's UncleJim?"
She said "yes, but don't tell the
others". I felt very superior.
Each child received a gift. Mine
was a beautifully dressed lady doll.
She had a china head with black
painted hair, china hands and a
gorgeous silk dress trimmed with
lace. I knew my mother had
dressed her because I recognized
the material. Oh I appreciated her
but I had had my heart set on a baby
Old fashioned
greetings for a fun and
festive season. Thank
you one and all
TAYLOR'S
GROCETERIA
Belgrave
raked the leaves in the fall and
played in them. In due time the
snow came and didn't go away in a
day or so, like it did in Ireland. That
Christmastime the Anglican Sun-
day School had Jack Barr and his
team and sleigh take us all, well
wrapped-up, for a long sleigh ride
with the sleigh bells ringing and all
of us kids and teachers singing
carols. It was a real treat especially
for us, who had never had a
doll, but perhaps Eaton's didn't
have that kind. This was a doll to
admire not cuddle.
The family gave grandma a
victrola complete with records.
There was even one for us with
barnyard animal sounds. We sat
and listened entranced, No one
moved or spoke. It was almost like
being in church.
That night five little girls slept
crosswise in a double bed in a very
low-ceilinged room above the
kitchen, heated by the stove pipe.
It wasn't very warm.
Soon it was time to go home. No
more snow had come but it had
been very cold. I learned then what
happens when ice expands and,
since it is frozen solid at the shore
lines, itjust has to go somewhere so
it bulges up. Then as soon as it
turns milder again those bulges
disappear and leave big cracks
which can't be seen until one is
right there.
So my mother drove the horses
while my father walked ahead to
insure we wouldn't fall into one of
these cracks. My younger brother
and I rode on a seat on the front of
the cutter and I was told, "No
matter what happens don't let your
brother fall out."
At last we were safely home.
What awonderful Christmas, even
the scary part. The next Christmas
was at our house but there was no
grandma to come.
sleighride before. Iremember a
Mrs. Lundy took her own sweater
off and put it under my coat before
we got in the sleigh.
It was a beautiful starry night.
We didn't know a lot of people and
we'd never seen so much snow in
our lives. Everyone was good to us.
I recall people telling us that the
snow would get so deep, we'd have
to come out our upstairs window.
Well that never really happened!
As kids we enjoyed the snow
(maybe not the cold). That Christ-
mas a farmer out on the third of
Wawanosh, Jack Howard (who had
a wife and one child) came in with a
team and sleigh and took all of.us,
out to his place for Christmas. That
meant 12 of us. I don't remember
what we ate except that it was the
first time we'd tasted whipped
cream (it was on the pies). I don't
remember what kind of pies they
were. I just remember how these
kind-hearted people put them-
selves out to be nice to a new family
at Christmas.
There was love and warmth and
good food and good fellowship.
After dinner which was noon time,
we young ones all went out and
their little girl had a sleigh or
toboggan. There were lots of hills
and we had our first toboggan
party and a lot of fun.
Our parents went to JHR Elliotts
and got us all one gift for
Christmas. I don't remember that I
even knew it wasJesus' bithday we
were celebrating. (I was only nine
year old) but we had the gift of love.
We had our parents, our brothers
and sisters, each other and kind
friends. Sixty-one years have gone
by and we've had lovely Christ-
mases but that one stands out in my
memory.
NICHOLENE THOMPSON
AITKEN
5o fait6ful old friends
and c6erisheel new, go
our 6est 6oliday
sentiments, along wit6
our Blanks.
RYAN
ENTERPRISES
INC.
Walton , Ontario
887-6901
10.65
9.27
15.29
A little girl's Christmas
in northern Ontario
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