DIDSBURY – Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year as the song goes. It's a time to gather with friends and family for socializing and big meals. Each family has its own different traditions. Most involve a big meal and gifts on Christmas morning.
It all starts in mid-November, usually with the putting up and decorating of the Christmas tree and the sudden omnipresent Christmas music in every store. Some people decorate their yards and put up lights and ornaments and elaborate displays.
Over in Cranbrook where I grew up there was a special street known as “Candy Cane Lane,” where every family would deck out their houses and yards with multi-coloured lights, nativity scenes, Santa and reindeer displays. Some even had moving trains with blinking lights. I can't imagine what these people's electric bills were, but my it was something to see.
One thing you don't see much anymore is the door-to-door carollers. I remember we did this as kids so many years ago and would usually get rewarded with hot chocolate and/or candy canes. The only place you seem to see it is on TV. Thankfully, there are plenty of choirs around performing Christmas concerts at this time of year.
As a child, I remember looking forward to seeing what's under the tree and what's in the stockings. I'm a little old for shaking presents now. It's still fun, but the best part of Christmas is definitely seeing family and being together.
- Lindsay is the Mountain View Gazette reporter.
