The best Christmas we had was when I rented the chalet on Sylvan Lake in Alberta. But I already told that story.
Most Christmas’s we managed to get together some where.
Red Deer , Bentwood Bay, Saskatoon . It depends a lot on the weather . Last year 2023 was great there was no snow believe it or not. We drove to Red Deer no problem. I can remember when we lived in Blind River we would load the kids into the car and head for Timmins then load them up again and head from Timmins to North Bay. I did not look forward to this drive because the weather was always bad. We stopped doing this in Blind River and stayed home and had a wonderful Christmas with who ever was brave enough to make the trip to Blind River to see us.
When I was a kid in the 60’s we would go to Dads brother/sisters houses Aunt Edna or Aunt Joe or Aunt Hazel or mom would have them all over to our house. Emmett, Chester, Jake, Cliff too . Elmo’s kids where usually there too Roy and Marian Smith , Alice and Kenny Mclaren . Grandpa would be there too. The Mawhineys. The Buchanans. It was possible to have four Christmas dinners every year.
Christmas was a big deal and a lot of fun. The house was full
of relatives . Some we hadn’t seen since last Christmas. The food was unreal . Rita still makes moms pineapple,Velveeta cheese salad at Christmas. Uncle Cliff would make his Swedish meatballs.
If you went to see the Christmas parade in North Bay you could see Uncle Jake go marching by blowing his bag pipes. Dressed in his Buchanan plaid Kilt.
Uncle Jake worked for Boart Long Year drilling. Aunt Jo and him would take Wendy and I to the Longyear Christmas party instead of Keith and David when they got too old. (Aunt Jo always had my back. She sent me $50 every month I was in University. I still love the sound of Bagpipes but they make see cry now).