HomeMy WebLinkAboutZurich Citizens News, 1972-12-21, Page 21THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1972 ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS
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Deck the Halls with boughs
of holly, fa- la- la- la- la- la- la-
la- la ! Yes, its Christmas, the
trees are glowing with lights
and laden with gifts. Freshly
baked cookies are in readiness
on the shelf beside fruity, nutty
Christmas cake and the turkey
is just about to be popped into
the oven. The table has been
spread with your best linen, the
good china and the best silver
are waiting in the wings and
the guest list has been checked
and double checked. Truly the
stage is set for a wonderful
Christmas Day.
That's the way it is in most
homes across our nation. Not at
our home. Not for the last two
or three years since grandma
decided to hold our big family
celebration of Christmas on
Boxing Day, the day after
Christmas.
Our grandma is a great wom-
an. She is perhaps the dearest,
sweetest, most thoughtful moth-
er in the whole entire world.
And she's got a lot of mothering
to do, because she has eight
sons and three daughters living
among whom to divide her att-
entions.
As each in turn grew up, got
married and had a family, it
became more and more difficult
to select a time on Christmas to
have the family dinner. Some-
body was always missing.
So we devised this marvellous
system by which we rent the
town hall --all two floors of it --
for Boxing Day. Everyone arrives
in the morning. The kids
spread out in the basement for
their fun, the ladies congregate
in the kitchen to complete the
meal preparations and the men
set up tables in the main hall
for the noon meal. About 12.30
all 60 of us sit down to a full
course Christmas dinner with
all the trimmings. And after an
afternoon of fun and frolic
family -style, we have a lunch
on the leftovers from dinner
and go home about 8 p.m. feel'
ing happy and very, very satis-
fied. That's a Keller Christmas
these days.
Since that custom evolved
out of necessity, the Christmas
we have at our own home is a
Ja
BY SHIRLEY J. KELLER
bit different. Unlike many
folks who suffer through fowl
dinners for four or five days
because of tradition, we make
Christmas Day the one time in
the year when we try to fulfill
everyone's wish where food is
concerned. We have no pride
about traditional food at our
house at Christmas. We eat
exactly what we want... just
because we like it best.
A great deal more preparat-
ion goes into that kind of a
meal that anyone would suspect.
For instance, son number one
wants fish and chips. Son numbe
two likes hamburgers and french
fries. Daughter wants pork
chops, mashed potatoes and
salad. Dad, who says he really
doesn't care, prefers a nice
lean ham laced with mustard
and brown sugar, vegetables,
salad and lots of blueberry pie.
For me, I guess my favorite
food is a good juicy steak with
mushrooms on the side and a
tossed salad.
The most simple answer woulc
Honor blind at
special dinner
Blind residents of Huron and
Perth Counties were entertained
at a Christmas dinner in the
Main Street United Church in
Mitchell by the Huron -Perth
Advisory Board to the Canadian
National Institute for the Blind.
Clark Moses, of Mitchell was
responsible for planning the
party, while Unit III of the
United Church Women provided
and served dinner in a gaily dec-
orated hall.
Harry Lear, Blyth, welcomed
the guests and Advisory Board
members were introduced by
Alfred Elton of Stratford.
Miss Gladys Wilker of the
Canadian Council of the Blind -
Festival Club, Stratford, thank-
ed the Church women and the
Advisory Board for entertaining
them. Don Webster, Exeter,
president of the CCB- Blue -
water Club of Huron County, adc
ed the appreciation of his group.
R. Wallace Kennedy, District
Administrator of the CNIB,
extended greetings.
Bingo played on brailled cards
provided entertainment. Prizes
were won by Mrs. Marlene Wil-
son, Stratford; Miss Iva Switzer,
Blyth; Mr. J. Breckenridge,
Wingham; Howard Carroll, God-
erich.
Following the games, Mis s
Wilker entertained with an acc-
ordian solo and Mr. Kennedy
played Christmas carols on the
piano and led in group singing.
en St
he Pds
Hnr Rn plo
0
art
e
Kenneth Stewart R, R, 5, Sea -
forth, has been re-elected pres-
ident of the Huron County Plow-
men's Association.
Other elected officers are:
John Clark, of R.R.5, Goderich
and James Armstrong, of Wing -
ham, vice-presidents; Russell
Bolton, of R. R.1, Seaforth,
secretary -treasurer, and Bill
Haply, of Goderich, assistant
secretary -treasurer.
Gordon McGavin, of Walton,
was named director of the Ont-
ario Plowmen's Association
and Maurice Love, of R. R. 3,
Exeter, was named assistant
director.
be to go out for dinner, but
then we still feel that we want
to be at home on Christmas,
with all the hustle and bustle
that goes with the day, the
humping into and excuse -me -
please atmosphere which makes
home somewhere special.
And do you know that on
Christmas Day now, we actually
have a family game with every-
one participating? Usually it is
rummy of the simple variety.
Sometimes it is dominoes or one
of the games someone has
found under the tree. Occasion-
ally it is a word game like "I
Spy." But the important thing
it is done together and because
love for family abounds at
Christmas more than any other
time of the year, it is great fun.
We may go our separate ways
throughout the day sometime.
The kids may call their friends.
Their friends might drop in. I
and my spouse might go visiting.
We might have visitors, It is
all very informal and impromptu
But it is Christmas the way we
PAGE 21
;do it these days.
At this point friends, I want
(to wish each of you the very
!merriest and cheeriest Christmas
you have ever had. I want you
to know that Christmas isn't
a day in the year... it is a
state of mind which could re-
main in our hearts all year
round if we would give it a
chance.
For the new year, I wish
each of you health, wealth and
happiness without measure.
God bless you, every one.
Wishing You A
Merry Christmas And
Best Wishes For The New Year
Kntuck9edried Chtcken
TAKE HOME SHOP
87 KINGSTON STREET
GODERICH
Located Beside The Gulf Station At The Five Points
GLORY BE
It's Christmas!
OUR THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED GOOD WILL,
FROM ALL OF US AT OLD MILL
The
ld 9�1ii1
BLYTH ONTARIO