HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2007-12-20, Page 50It’s no surprise that a minister’s
Christmas traditions involve a
Christmas Eve church service.
Rev. Pat Cook of Londesborough
United Church says that the service
and being with the community is one
of the things she looks forward to the
most when the holiday season rolls
around.
Being a very spiritual person
shows very clearly when Cook
talks about Christmas. She cares
about everything everyone else cares
about during Christmas; she just
makes sure that presents and Santa
Claus never overshadow the
religious significance of this time of
year.
“I completely overhauled my
Christmas tree decorations a few
years ago. It’s all white now, and all
of my ornaments have to do with the
religious side of Christmas: angels,
and stars. Well, and teddy bears,”
Cook says that the teddy bears
stem from a present her daughter got
one year with a teddy bear attached,
and it just grew from there.
Traditions have changed over the
last few years for Cook. While
Christmas Eve service remains a
staple, she used to spend her
holidays with her parents. Her father
passed away in 1990, but she would
still see her mother every Christmas.
However, for the last few years, she
has been spending the holidays with
her daughters, as much as she can,
considering how far away they are at
times.
Cook celebrates Christmas dinner
just like everyone else, but she has
recently taken over a tradition from
her mother. Cook now makes the
traditional family Christmas
pudding.
“It’s a carrot Christmas pudding
that we’ve been having in my family
for years and years,” she said. “Last
Christmas was the first time I made
it myself and I think it went over
pretty well.”
Opening presents required
discipline when Cook was young.
The family would wake up in the
morning and go through their
stockings and then have a family
breakfast before opening their
presents.
Cook says this was important to
her and still is, because in her house,
Christmas isn’t all about presents,
it’s about Jesus’s birth.
“While we gave presents and
enjoyed getting presents just like
everyone else, we made sure not to
make that the focus of the day,” she
said. “The day is about Jesus and we
always make sure to remember that
here.”
A tradition that Cook was sorry to
see go was the carolling that her
family used to always do.
“On my father’s side of the family,
everyone was very musical. My aunt
played the organ and another aunt
and uncle both played guitar and my
dad played accordion, so it was
always a very musical time as well,”
she said.
“Unfortunately the next
generation of children, my
generation didn’t pick up the skills,
and I think that’s sad. I guess it’s just
the way the world changes. That was
the way that previous generations
would amuse themselves and now
we have other things that do that. It’s
really too bad.”
PAGE B18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2007.
Food, food, food
Rev. Pat Cook and her family always make a point to gather around the dining table and have
a big family dinner every Christmas, topped off recently by her Christmas pudding recipe.
Cook recently took over making the carrot pudding from her mother and says there haven’t
been any complaints. From left: Cook, her daughter Shari Cartwright, Cook’s granddaughter
Ashley Cartwright and Cook’s son-in-law David Cartwright. (Photo submitted)
Keeping the true meaning of Christmas
From everyone at the
Schimanski Family Funeral Home
Merry Christmas
and all the best in the New Year
from Frank, Jennie & Family
SCHIMANSKI FAMILY FUNERAL HOME
Royal Canadian Legion
Brussels Branch 218
Wishes to extend Christmas Tidings
and New Year Wishes to all its
members and faithful supporters
for all their work and support
this past year.
Best Wishes for a Happy 2008.
We’d like to join you and your family, in singing His praises,
as we share the spirit of this holy season.
BORRMANN'S GARAGE
Cty. Rd. 12 (near Diesel Car Diner)
RR #1 Bluevale 519-335-3857
SS ee aa ss oo nn ’’ss GG rr ee ee tt ii nn gg ss
ROBERT RADFORD
FARM MACHINERY REPAIRS
P.O. Box 144
Londesborough, Ontario
N0M 2H0
519-523-4851
At this busy time of year, we’d like to
thank you for stopping here!
With best wishes for a Merry Christmas
from all of us.
From: Max, Jim, Darlene,
Kathy & Shane
at
&
OLDFIELD’S
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen