Bob Maloney - Mayor of Yorkton
As a child my favorite Christmas memories are of attending Christmas Eve Church services at the Lutheran Church in Churchbridge, and singing carols, including my favorite Silent Night. After the service there was hot chocolate and presents for the children, and when we got home I could open one gift.
My wife Dianne and I share memories of Christmas morning with the children and their excitement as the hour drew near to see what Santa had brought them. Memories of family and coming together to enjoy the holidays make it a festive season. As the children get older having them home is better than ever!
Lawrence Chomos - Chair Sunrise Health Region Board of Directors
One fond memory I have as a young kid was helping my dad at his hardware store at Christmas. From early to mid December trucks would pull up to the back loading door with mountains of large cardboard boxes. Someone would haul the boxes to the basement where my brothers I and would unpack them and place them on shelves. Unfortunately almost all were packaged but that did not stop the imagination from allowing me to believe everyone of those toys were mine. With eight of us in our family I was blessed to usually get one of those treasures along with the ever elusive Christmas orange and a handful of hard candy in my shoe placed under the tree.
Juanita Polegi - Manager Yorkton Chamber of Commerce
For decades the women of the church in my home town have hosted a Christmas Carol Service to which the entire community was invited. At the conclusion of each service, the choir led the congregation in the singing of "Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let it Begin with Me". I loved listening to that beautiful hymn as family, friends and neighbours joined together in singing it. With its simple yet profound message, it seemed to make everyone more happy and benevolent as they greeted each other following the service and left for home.
Randy Goulden - Manager Tourism Yorkton
My Christmas memories are made of many happy family times and traditions.
Growing up in a traditional Ukrainian Orthodox family, Christmas began on January 6, entering our small rural church just before midnight, with the many flickering candles and intense fragrance of incense. Those sights and smells along with the choir singing the songs of the holy season; I will always treasure that time with my family and friends.
As our family dynamics grew and changed, memories were made with our own children and then grandchildren, building the experiences and fun.
Will I ever forget the Christmas our daughter Pamela, shared all my baking with her school play actors; of course, I did not realize this until I went to the freezer on Christmas Eve to put out the baking. I was so pleased to understand how she shared the Spirit of Christmas.
We all remember the year that our Christmas tree looked upside down, with Michelle sharing her Spirit of Christmas by inviting her friends to decorate the tree. With no planning, the lights and all the plug-ins were at the top of the tree, with the angel somewhere near the bottom.
Tom perpetuated Rex's memories of the ugliest Christmas sweater by sharing his Spirit of Christmas with a young person in Mexico. Every year Rex was in photos wearing the same Snoopy sweater (a gift from me); so when Tom and friends left for their adventure on Boxing Day, he took along the sweater and gave it to the first young man he saw on their drive through Mexico.
And who will ever forget the look on the Goulden grandchildren's faces when Santa made a stop at Grandmas the day before Christmas to visit and double check their lists.
Christmas is indeed a time for family, traditions and making new memories!
Phil DeVos - Manager Yorkton Business Improvement District
I was six years old. It was 1959. We lived across from the local outdoor hockey rink in Winnipeg. Mom and dad knew very little if anything about hockey. I wanted skates and a stick and puck for Christmas.
On Christmas morning I got my wish. A goal stick, mini puck and BOB skates (two bladed skates) for those who don't know. The skates strapped onto my boots. Needless to say I was rather disappointed. Funny stick, small puck and skates with two blades! But I strapped the skates on my boots and headed across the street to the rink. I stepped on the ice, stick in hand, puck on the ice and heard a crunch, the blades of the skates curled out and fell off. I cried, was embarrassed, but time healed all. That was my first hockey experience ... things got better and hockey became a favourite sport for many years.
Continued in Memories of Christmas past - Part Two
