The Rural Voice, 1980-12, Page 6DAWD VanDERWALLE
NANCY ERNST
it
DONNA VanBAKEL
A Child's
Christmas
Children growing up on a farm have
special ways of celebrating the festive seasons
BY ALICE GIBB
Christmas, perhaps more than any
other festive occasion, is a time for
children and children's dreams.
Children growing up on a farm, we
discovered, have special ways of
celebrating the holiday that their counter-
parts in towns and cities can't always
share.
Crystal Whyte, a Grade 5 student at
Hullett Central School. Londesboro
doesn't hesit ate when asked her
favourite part of a farm Christmas. Her
family's tradition is "going to our bush
and getting our Christmas tree." About
a week before the holiday, the six Whytes
pile into the family's pickup and drive
back to the bush on their farm outside
Seaforth. After they've found a tree that
meets everyone's approval, "usually we
take a walk through the bush after
putting the tree in the truck."
That night, the family decorates the
tree, topping it off with a special star
that's put on the top every year.
One other Christmas treat - Crystal
helps bake the cookies in a variety of
special shapes. Then on Christmas Day ,
there's a big family get-together and
traditional Christmas dinner.
Kim Salverda, who lives on a farm with
cows, horses and chickens - "a whole
barn full", in her words, is a Grade One
student at Hullett Central School.
Her favourite Christmas chore is de-
corating the tree - "with stars, little play
horses and littl e birds." On Christmas
morning, she recalls, the family wakes up
early to discover what treasures are
under the tree. Milking is forgotten - "rnv
Dad goes to grandpa's place to do the
cows in the night." (53 cows to be exact,
according to Kim).
She and sister Tracey not only decorate
PG. 4 THE RURAL VOICE/ DECEMBER 1980
the tree, they also lend a hand with the
Christmas baking.
Kim also has a comment for reporters
who ask all these questions about
Christmas. "You're sure using up ail the
pages," she observes.
Michael Merner, a Grade Two student.
at the same school, is confident when it
comes to describing his farm. "We got
cattle, pigs, chickens, calves, and some
sheep, roosters, some hens. . .and one
little small field of mixed grains."
The question about Christmas though
isn't as easy to answer. Then he decides
what would make his farm Christmas
special - giving "a little bit more extra
calf starter" to his pet sheep, Carl. Carl,
he explains, is named in honour of his
father since the pet was born on his
father's birthday.
Walter Johnston, a Grade 8 student at
the school, lives on a dairy farm in the
Auburn area. His family celebrates the
holiday on Christmas Eve, opening their
gifts that night. The on Christmas Day
comes the big dinner with all the
trimmings - last year celebrated with 35
relatives.
A SPECIAL EXPERIENCE
Like Crystal, Walter's family cuts their
tree back in their bush, which is "neat."
They also usually choose one for their
relatives as well. On wintry holidays, they
deliver the trees by snowmobile, but
otherwise use the pickup truck.
Any danger they'll exhaust the supply?
It's not likely, Walter assures me, "we
have about ten acres of them."
Tanya Boonstoppel, who lives on a
Jersey farm at R.R. 1, Auburn, "the
second farm from the railroad track",
also selects her tree from the farm
woodlot.
Last Christmas, picking out a tret•
particularly special experience - not only