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BY ERIN FAWCETTRed Deer Express

Santa Claus arrived in the City

last month and is busy spreading

his festive spirit and bringing joy

to those around him.

Santa has been keeping busy

as he visits both the Parkland

Mall and Bower Place Shopping

Centre each day until Dec. 24th.

Children have been lining up to

chat with him and get their photo

taken.

“Santa arrived in style at the

Parkland Mall. He came in a fi re

truck with Mrs. Claus and some

elves,” said Melody McKnight,

marking director at Parkland

Mall. “There was lots of happy

screaming coming from the kids

and they couldn’t believe that

Santa was there.”

She added it hasn’t only been

children who have visited Santa

at the mall.

“We’ve had adults come and

get their photos taken with Santa,

staff at the mall are getting their

staff photos done with him as

well and seniors have come to see

him also,” said McKnight.

“Everyone of all ages can enjoy

Santa.”

At Bower Place, Santa has also

been kept busy.

“Santa has been very busy

so far,” said Dallas Hand, retail

manager at Bower Place Shop-

ping Centre.

He added the set that Santa gets

to sit on at the mall is special as

well.

“The set fi lls up the entire cen-

tre court at the mall and there are

a lot of moving parts and fl ashing

lights. It’s a very festive setting,”

he said.

“It has a very magical feel and

it’s set up like Santa’s workshop

so you have the elves building

toys and getting prepared for

Christmas.

“When people line up to see

Santa, the line goes right around

the set, so they get to see it from

all angles.”

While he is well known as

Santa in Red Deer, he has many

names around the world includ-

ing St. Nicolas, Father Christmas,

Kris Kringle and Sinterklaas. He

is easy to spot with his bright red

coat with while collar and cuffs,

red trousers, black leather boots

and snowy white beard.

He lives quietly most of the

year with Mrs. Claus in his house

at the North Pole. Living nearby

are his magical elves and a herd

of fl ying reindeer.

But come Christmas he is very

busy and many wonder how San-

ta can do so much on Christmas

Eve, but he does get a lot of help

from his elves who make the toys

throughout the year and the rein-

deer who whisk him through the

sky going from house to house.

There’s a lot of paperwork that

needs to be done too. Keeping

those lists of children and wheth-

er they are naughty or nice up to

date, although there is a rumour

that he may now use an iPad.

It’s understood that Red Deer

children, in fact, virtually all

Central Alberta children are well

behaved, so he’ll be busy deliver-

ing all those goodies come Christ-

mas Eve.

[email protected]

Santa Claus arrives to visit children in Red Deer

FESTIVE VISIT - Jayden Gonzales, 4, takes his turn sitting on Santa’s knee at Bower Place Shopping Centre. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express


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BY JENNA SWANRed Deer Express

Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus

will be celebrated in Red Deer

next week for the 33rd annual live

nativity scene.

The event will take place in

the parking lot of the Kentwood

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-

day Saints, which is located at 8

Keast Way.

Complete with a 28-member

cast that includes shepherds, an-

gels and kings, the annual pag-

eant will be running from Dec.

15th - 17th at 30 minute intervals

beginning at 7 p.m.

Attendees can expect music

and narration, alongside brilliant

backdrops and a live indoor musi-

cal performance at the longstand-

ing community tradition.

Local members of the Church

of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints produce the live Outdoor

Nativity Pageant, which began in

1980.

Vesna Higham, assistant direc-

tor of media relations for the Red

Deer Alberta Stake Public Affairs

for the Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints, explained that

the live nativity scene has had

quite the history in Red Deer.

Originally starting with 11 cast

members, the pageant has been

performed in City Hall Park, Kin

Canyon and Heritage Square over

the years.

This year it will be performed

at the Kentwood Chapel.

“The highlight of the pageant

has to be the live nature of the

nativity and as it has grown over

the years it has come to be more

than just a nativity scene,” said

Higham.

“It kind of builds and expands

every year,” she said.

“And I think that one of the

phenomena that we’ve noticed in

relation to the expansion of the

pageant is that the commercial-

ism connected to Christmas has

led to people wanting to come and

see a traditional aspect of Christ-

mas that has kind of been lost

and this has allowed the pageant

to grow.”

The live cast of local youth and

adults has also come to include

a real donkey named ‘Rodeo

Queen’ as well as, “Real, bleating

sheep,” explained Higham.

In the past, the event has come

with some unusual occurrences

that have left memorable impres-

sions in the minds of attendees,

including the year that the pag-

eant was held in Kin Canyon and

a curious doe decided she wanted

to join the festivities as well as an

occurrence in the late 1990s when

Mother Nature decided to bless

the cast and crew with a surprise

winter storm that led to the can-

celling of nine performances.

This year’s free event will

extend indoors into the cha-

pel where there will be a ‘Cozy

Reader’s Corner’ for young chil-

dren complete with hot chocolate

and treats, as well as ‘Christmas

Among the Crèches’ in which

more than 200 nativity scenes

from across the globe will be dis-

played.

The crèche display and light re-

freshments open at 6:30 p.m.

[email protected]

Live nativity scene provides Christmas tradition

STORY OF CHRISTMAS - Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints perform a live nativity scene last year in which they told the story of the birth of Christ. Express fi le photo


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For more Comfort & Joy this Holiday Season, give the gift of time!

Take a class / fi tness program together Host a game night Help someone with their favorite cause Cook someone a meal Host a movie night

The Red Deer Primary Care Network offers Happiness Basics group classes for people

who want to be happier.

Learn to make positive changes in your thoughts, actions, relationships & health,and create more happiness for yourself.

Learn at least 13 ways to be happier.

Learn what happy people do, how they think, and purposefully create happiness for themselves.

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Call 403.343.9100 for more information or go to reddeerpcn.com

BY KALISHA MENDONSARed Deer Express

Christmas carries the connotation of

a cheerful season but it can also create

stress as one considers food, visiting fam-

ily and buying gifts – all on top of regular

expenses.

Registered psychologist and counsel-

or Renee Joslin came together with Dr.

Morne Odendaal and the Primary Care

Network during a Health Café session to

present fi ve psychology practices that can

help refocus and calm a person during the

Christmas season. “Positive psychology is

really the new science of what people do

to make them happier. We wanted to give

people some strategies that were actually

practical to help people focus on what’s re-

ally important over the holidays and create

more meaning,” Joslin said.

“What I did in preparing for this is I ac-

tually looked at all of the skills we teach

in our Happiness Basics program and then

thought about how I could make those

skills relate to the holidays, focusing on re-

ducing stress and recharging.”

Approaching the season with intention

was the fi rst tool presented. Joslin de-

scribes creating intent as, “The conscious

decision to open yourself to true well-be-

ing and happiness, making us more likely

to capture uplifting moments and even be

on the lookout for them in the future.”

Joslin used research by psychologists

Dan Siegel and Barbara Fredrickson, ex-

perts in positive psychology, to demon-

strate the purpose of intention as it relates

to the Christmas season.

“Dr. Dan Siegel argues that by setting

intention, you actually prime your brain

to get ready for positive experiences – this

can actually spur a positive cycle of hap-

piness. Research by Barbara Fredrickson

shows that when we allow ourselves to feel

positive emotions, we become more sensi-

tive and open to future positive experienc-

es,” Joslin said.

Joslin recommends creating intent by

considering something that one wants to

do over the holidays. She said to consider

something that will lift spirits, bring com-

fort or bring joy and then make a plan as to

how one will carry out that intention.

She said that by writing a list, and cre-

ating intention, a person is more likely to

follow through on that action that brings

them comfort or joy.

Secondly, Joslin presented the idea of sa-

voring. She spoke about savoring moments

by taking the time to acknowledge smells,

sights, textures, sounds and feelings that

come with each moment. She said that this

savoring process creates a more meaning-

ful memory in a person’s brain and helps

them to enjoy moments more.

The idea of savoring also translated into

a suggestion on how to keep from overeat-

ing during the holidays. “Savoring involves

paying attention to moments of well-being,

and letting happiness register in your body

and mind for about 15-20 seconds. Neuro-

psychologist Rick Hansen calls this ‘taking

in the good’,” she said.

The third component of the positive ex-

ercises was the idea of expressing grati-

tude. Joslin said it is important to recog-

nize good fortune and focus on positive

experiences.

She shared a study by positive psycholo-

gist Martin Seligman where 15 severely

depressed people were told to write down

three positive things that happened to

them each day over a two-week period.

At the end of the experiment, 94% of par-

ticipants had a decrease in depression and

92% said their happiness increased.

Joslin suggested in the Christmas sea-

son, people could write down positive

things that happen to them each day, store

the notes in a collection and read them

aloud with family members around Christ-

mas Day to recognize all of the good for-

tune they had experienced.

She said this practice helps re-focus peo-

ple on the good in their lives and feel less

stress. “The holidays are going to come

and go, whether you are here in mind and

body or not. If you can really enjoy De-

cember 25th, and be focusing on that day,

you’re going to be much happier. It’s about

living in the moment that you’re in – that’s

the biggest way to reduce your stress, your

anxiety and increase your happiness.”

The fourth aspect of the presentation

was giving the gift of time to a person who

would appreciate it. Joslin said that the

gifts could be small – shoveling a neigh-

bour’s walk – or larger, like volunteering

for a couple of hours.

“Doing something kind for someone else

actually triggers the same pleasure centre

in a person’s brain as food or sex,” she said.

Finally, Joslin reminded the attendees

of the Health Café that recharging is cru-

cial to overall well-being and experiencing

joy. “I want people to realize that when we

really slow things down, and live in the

present moment, we are happier. Often,

we are thinking about what we should or

shouldn’t have done, or regrets in the past,

or maybe we get a little too anxious.

“When we aren’t living in the actual mo-

ment that we’re experiencing, we can be

depressed or we can be anxious, depending

if we are focusing on the past or present. I

really want people to focus.”

Joslin recommended focusing on one’s

breathing and taking the time to allow one

to relax. She said by doing these exercises

and taking the time to recharge and refo-

cus, a person is more likely to take in mo-

ments of joy and to release stress.

Using these tools of positive psychology

is a way to gather more meaning, more

comfort and more joy in the holiday sea-

son.

[email protected]

“WE WANTED TO GIVE PEOPLE SOME STRATEGIES THAT WERE ACTUALLY PRACTICAL TO HELP PEOPLE FOCUS

ON WHAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT OVER THE HOLIDAYS AND CREATE MORE

MEANING.”

RENEE JOSLIN

Using positive psychology to have a meaningful season


BY JENNA SWANRed Deer Express

To someone waking up in a homeless

shelter on Christmas morning, receiving

a care package from the community and

knowing there is someone on the outside

thinking of them can make a huge differ-

ence in how they go forward with their

lives.

That’s why local registered charitable

organization, The Patchwork Angels are

asking for the community’s support in

gathering stocking/care packages for the

patrons of the Central Al-

berta Women’s Emergency

Shelter, as well as hooded

sweat shirts for the youth at

the 49 St. Youth Shelter.

“We are once again ask-

ing the community to pitch

in and sponsor a Christmas

stocking, gift or blanket for

one or more of the 25 chil-

dren that will be homeless

this holiday season at the

Central Alberta Women’s

Emergency Shelter,” said

Angie Garcia, executive di-

rector of Patchwork Angels.

“We know there will be

25 children at the shelter

because that is the shelter capacity and it

reaches that capacity each and every year.”

Garcia and the Patchwork Angels are

asking members of the community and

organizations to team up and sponsor one

or more stockings to be donated to the

children who will wake up at the Central

Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter on

Christmas morning.

Stockings are to be gender neutral and

contain items for children ages 4-14 and

include a small toy, a brush and/or comb,

toothbrush, toothpaste, nut-free candy and

anything else you would like to add above

the basic list.

This year the Patchwork Angels have

extended their holiday helping hand to the

49 St. Youth Shelter as well, and are asking

for the donation of hooded sweat shirts to

distribute to the youth spending the holi-

day season at the shelter.

“The one thing these youths need more

than anything is warm clothing and hood-

ies especially during the winter,” said Gar-

cia.

“We want to try to provide them with

what we know they need this winter, so we

are asking for the community to help us

gather 25-30 hoodies.

“The hoodies are especially needed by

the youth, as they can’t always be carry-

ing around a blanket and the shelter can’t

store those for them, so hoodies are the

best way for them to stay

warm.”

Since the Patchwork An-

gels began in 2011, the group

has been responsible for dis-

tributing over 940 homemade

and store bought blankets

and 52 hooded sweatshirts

to the women’s shelter, the

Ronald McDonald House,

the youth shelter, the Red

Deer Humane Society, Ju-

lietta’s Place, Berachah

Place, Woods Home, Loaves

and Fishes and the Red Deer

Hospital Children’s Ward.

The group accepts do-

nations of homemade and

store bought blankets as well as cash and

hooded sweat shirt donations year-round

and distributes the donations three to four

times per year to each of the above orga-

nizations.

“One of the most important aspects is

that through this gift the people receiving

them then know there is someone on the

outside who cares,” explained Garcia.

“During the holiday season people stay-

ing in shelters will often feel very alone,

and often times embarrassed and this gift

can truly make a difference in their lives,”

she added.

To sponsor a Christmas stocking or for

more information, email the Patchwork

Angels at thepatchworkangels@gmail.

com.

[email protected]

“DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON PEOPLE

STAYING IN SHELTERS WILL OFTEN FEEL VERY

ALONE, AND OFTEN TIMES EMBARRASSED

AND THIS GIFT CAN TRULY MAKE A

DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.”

ANGIE GARCIA

Patchwork Angels seeking support this

holiday season


The festive season is a time for

family and friends to gather. We

turn our attention on the special

relationships in our lives and

take some time to focus on them.

It’s a great idea to include your

pet in the festivities. While they

may not understand what all the

fuss is about they will know that

everyone is in a great mood and

that will have a positive impact

on them too (GRINCH need not

apply)! Gifts under the tree, deca-

dent treats and fare abound. But

all that glitters may not be safe

for your pet.

Cats love to climb and when

that sparkly tree complete with

tinsel and hanging decorations

enters the house you can literally

see felines everywhere limber-

ing up in preparation for their

climb through the limbs towards

the star on top! We like to laugh

along with their antics, but what

won’t be so funny is the cost of

the surgery to remove the tinsel

obstructing your pet’s intestine

after they feast on the decora-

tions you hung.

Whether it’s your dog or cats

fi rst Christmas or a senior pet

who you think should know bet-

ter, there will be tasty tempta-

tions at every Christmas turn.

We recommend you avoid feed-

ing your pet any ‘human food’

and stick to the array of treats

designed for their sensitive diges-

tive systems.

Chocolate treats, rich dairy

products, bones and leftovers in

the garbage could cause harm.

Be cautious and keep your furry

family member safe. I was once

the proud owner of a rescue dog

named Whisper. She was fond

of Christmas because she came

with a predisposed love of cock-

tails. We found this out the hard

way at a festive family gathering.

Mysteriously some guests found

their glasses half full while Whis-

per sneakily enjoyed a snifter too

many. Alcohol can be very dan-

gerous to your pet so please invite

your guests to keep their drinks

out of the reach of all critters.

There is debate over bringing

home a new pet during the fes-

tive season. Until recently it was

accepted practice to purchase a

surprise puppy or kitty as a gift

for the family.

The sad reality is that so did the

suffering of the poor animals left

in tiny cages in large scale breed-

ing facilities (puppy mills). These

poor creatures were expected to

turn out litter after litter in de-

plorable conditions to support

retail sales. They received no

love and affection, and no walks

through a winter wonderland.

While puppy mills are still an

issue in our country, what has

changed is the awareness sur-

rounding them. Thanks to so-

cial media and the work of wel-

fare agencies, attitudes towards

selling pets in pet stores have

changed. As a society it seems

that we no longer see this as an

acceptable practice. Online sales

do continue to be strong and as

a result our shelters are over-

run with the lost and unwanted

animals of this sad industry. If

you believe that mills should be

illegal then write to your local

member of parliament and share

your views.

Only when we speak up can we

support change and bring hope to

our furry friends.

If you are considering bring-

ing home a new pet we encour-

age you to consider a few fac-

tors. Is this the best time for you

and your family? Does everyone

agree to support the demanding

needs of the pet? Does your cur-

rent budget allow for the expect-

ed and unexpected cost? Most

humane societies and SPCA’s

have a similar process to ensure

that all adopters understand the

needs of the pet and help to fi nd

a great fi t for your situation and

lifestyle. Choosing to adopt an

animal from a rescue shelter can

be so rewarding and is a gift in

itself. The love of an animal will

undoubtedly bring so many ben-

efi ts from loving companionship

to increased exercise (burning off

the Christmas cookies)!

Today while I write this at the

Red Deer SPCA we are offering

pet pictures with Santa. They are

awaiting their turn for that spe-

cial picture to share on Christ-

mas cards, to send to family or to

take pride of place on the mantle.

We really do love to share in this

most wonderful time of the year

with all our family members, in-

cluding the furry ones. I’m so

grateful that in December our

shelter sees the most generous of

gifts given to support the ongoing

care of animals awaiting adop-

tion and that we can support the

volunteers and community mem-

bers who love and value compan-

ion animals.

We wish you and yours a won-

derful season fi lled with the pres-

ence of animals who are loved

and safe in your home.

Tara Hellewell is the executive di-rector of the Red Deer & District SPCA.

Pets can enjoy the Christmas season, too

POOCH PORTRAITS - Iggy gets his photo taken with Santa at the SPCA. Kimberly C. Photography403.342.6040 3450 - 50 Avenue

Red Deer, AB T4N 3Y4

Dr. Lisa Lomsnes • Dr. Rebecca JacksonDr. Hayley Biederbeck

www.lomsnesvet.ca

Best of Red DeerSILVER WINNER

2014 Readers’ Choice Awards

Vet [email protected]

Tara

H E L L E W E L L


‘Twas the night before Christmas, and

all through the house, not a creature was

stirring…wait, what is that in the Christ-

mas tree? Is it Santa Claus?

No, it’s Fluffy climbing the tree!

Christmas is a happy time of year, but it

can be dangerous for your four-legged fam-

ily members. Christmas trees need to be

put in a stable tree stand and tied down, or

put the tree in an area where your pets can-

not climb it or tip it over.

Decorations and wrappings such as

ribbon, tinsel and small ornaments can

cause intestinal obstruction and require

emergency surgery so keep those tempting

‘toys’ out of your cat’s reach!

Be careful with wrapped chocolates un-

der the tree - your dog can sniff out this de-

licious treat and he will have it unwrapped

and eaten in no time.

Chocolate contains theobromine, which

is toxic to both cats and dogs. When in-

gested, chocolate may cause vomiting, di-

arrhea, hyperactivity, pancreatitis (a very

painful upset stomach that may require

intensive medical treatment), seizures and

in severe cases even death.

You must contact your veterinarian im-

mediately if you suspect your pet has con-

sumed chocolate.

Plants such as mistletoe and poinsettias

are also poisonous to animals. Mistletoe

berries can cause upset stomach and even

cardiac problems and poinsettias have an

irritating sap that may cause blistering to

the mouth and tongue, as well as intestinal

upset.

Always make sure plants are safe for

your pets before you bring them home,

or keep them in a safe area your pet can’t

reach.

Christmas is a time for enjoying deli-

cious food, but think twice before you

share with your pet!

Holiday scraps could result in an emer-

gency trip to the vet - things like turkey

trimmings, gravy, and other rich, fatty

foods can cause pancreatitis.

Avoid fancy treats that are high in sugar

or fat - do not be fooled by Christmas com-

mercial specials! Your pets might enjoy

these tasty holiday treats but they won’t

enjoy the vet visit that may be needed af-

terwards.

Instead, offer safe, healthy treats that

benefi t your pet by cleaning their teeth,

freshening their breath and that are highly

digestible.

Talk to your veterinarian about safe and

healthy ways to treat your pet this holiday

season.

Protecting the health and safety of your

furry family members will ensure many

more Merry Christmases to come!

Dr. Lisa Lomsnes is a veterinarian at Lomsnes Veterinary Hospital in Red Deer.

Helping your pets survive the Christmas Season

Visit our Pawsitive Pet Shop aand Help Animals Today!

Gifts in store for the pets and the animal lovers in your family! All sales help us to provide shelter and care to animals in need.

Purchase your 2015 City of Red Deer dog license at the SPCA and you will directly support in-shelter vet care!

PPPPPPPPPPPPaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwww

SSave a Furry Life! Please visit reddeerspca.com to see how you can give today.

Stocking stuffers, gifts & more for people and pets!

Meeting All Your Small Animal Needs•Dr. Greg Linnell •Dr. Craig Kosheluk

• Dr. Charlotte MacFarlanePh: 403-346-8288 Fax: 403-346-8286

Located in the Clearview Industrial Park(Clearview Drive - 1 km south of Landfi ll)

Dr. Lisa

L O M S N E S & S A D I E


from all of us here atDLC Regional Mortgage Group,

we would like to thank everyone formaking 2014 a great year!

We are very excited for 2015!

#102, 5229 - 50 AVENUE • RED DEER, AB 403.343.1125 • www.RegionalMortgage.ca

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Dominion Lending ...they’re a beauty! -Don Cherry

Season’s Greetings

Cal DallasLegislative Secretary,

Intergovernmental Relations

MLA Red Deer South403-340-3565

Mary Anne Jablonski

Deputy Chair of CommitteesMLA Red Deer North403-342-2263

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All the best in 2015!

BY MARK WEBERRed Deer Express

For many people, the Christmas season

includes family get-togethers and lots of

opportunities to reconnect with old friends

as well.

But for many, including some local se-

niors, it’s a relatively ‘solitary’ time of

year.

That’s something Family Services of

Central Alberta is working to change

through the Gifts for Grandparents pro-

gram – now in its seventh year.

Leanne Landry, manager of Community

Relations for Family Services of Central

Alberta, said that via a number of Fam-

ily Services support initiatives, it became

clear that many seniors live in isolation.

She is working with Sandra Epp, who is

manager of adult services, on the project

this year.

“We continue to have great pride in Gifts

for Grandparents because it’s a popula-

tion that we feel sometimes gets missed,”

explained Landry. Along with serving

seniors who they come in contact with

through the course of their work, they also

take referrals from other agencies and

members of the community at large.

Landry encourages residents to refer

folks in their communities who perhaps

recently have lost a spouse or don’t seem

to have much company.

Donations of items and of cash are

also gratefully accepted. Suggested dona-

tion items run the gamut from slippers,

socks, toiletry items for men and women,

prepackaged cookies, crackers, jams, gift

cards for coffee shops and grocery stores,

coffee, tea, hot chocolate, books, word puz-

zles and other small gift items. Other ideas

include pajamas, mittens, bed linens, bath/

hand towels, nightlights, sweater vests and

such. “We always try to prepare a list, but

at the same time it’s really whatever you

think a senior would enjoy.

“We accept donations here, and we

are thrilled to have Shoppers Drug Mart

onboard again as well (as drop-off loca-

tions).”

Last year, more than 530 gift bags were

delivered to isolated seniors in Central

Alberta just in time for Christmas. This

year’s goal is to make Christmas brighter

for 600 seniors in the community. “It’s

grown progressively since we started this

initiative.”

She also encourages folks to be on the

lookout for seniors who seem to live rather

isolated lives in their neighbourhoods, as

these residents may be ideal candidates

not just for the Gifts for Grandparents pro-

gram but for other help FSCA can provide

year-round as well.

“We also have lots of schools onboard

this year, so it’s really a community ef-

fort,” said Landry. Epp agreed, adding that

schools typically approach the FSCA early

on as they want to get started on decorat-

ing the bags which the donations will be

delivered in.

“The kids like to personalize the bags,

and they also do Christmas ornaments and

cards,” said Landry. “So in the bags there

is a lot of product, but there is also that

personal touch with any homemade deco-

rations.”

Businesses have also been getting in-

volved. They’ve had some offi ces and busi-

nesses take this on as their project. Instead

of bringing in a gift for a colleague, people

donate to Gifts for Grandparents.

“We’ve had some organizations tell us

they are going to put a box in their offi ce,

and have the Gifts for Grandparents as (their

charity) of choice for this year,” said Epp.

Families are also signing up to help

out as well. “We throw Santa hats on the

people and they head out, knock on doors

and deliver the gifts. That’s a very reward-

ing piece of volunteering right there,” said

Landry. “We also need people to sort the

product. We bring it down to our work-

shop downstairs, so we need ‘elves’ for our

workshop, too.”

Landry pointed out that donations can

also be made with the ongoing costs of a

senior’s home support services. The agen-

cy provides light housekeeping, laundry

services, meal preparations and grocery

shopping to isolated in seniors in need.

In some instances, clients are struggling

with their fees and are on fi xed incomes.

All donations designated for home support

will help relieve some of the fi nancial bur-

den on seniors. To that end, gift cards can

be purchased at FSCA in increments of $20

as well.

The deadline for donations is essen-

tially Dec. 13th, although organizers are

hesitant to put down a strict cut-off date.

Sometimes, gifts are coming in the door

shortly before they are packed and sent

out to a local senior. The key is to call and

fi nd out what would still work in terms of

a timeline.

“Christmas is a time for sharing love

and being together, so I think that’s also

why it’s been so successful. It’s very much

a community-driven initiative,” said

Landry. “People that come to the table are

very willing to give not just fi nancially but

also with their time as well.

“That’s what Gifts for Grandparents is

all about – that warm feeling you get by

helping your neighbour.”

For more information on how to help

out, or to arrange for drop-off of donations,

call 403-309-5834, 403-309-8213 or check out

www.fsca.ca.

[email protected]

Making Christmas brighter for local seniors


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Like it or not, it’s here. Some folks have

been adamant that it not start until after

Nov. 11th, and some places have it fi red up

before Halloween is over - yup, the ‘holiday

season’ is here. But let’s be honest – it’s re-

ally ‘weight gain season’ and it runs from

the end of October until New Year’s.

This isn’t a ‘bah humbug’ letter, but why

have this next two months ruin your next

six months? What if you started now with

a plan to handle these next few months so

that you could still enjoy it, but not regret

it?

All it takes is a two part plan that you

put in place now before the craziness starts

in full force and you can get through this

with some self respect and pants that still

fi t.

Step one - plan to exercise. “If you fail

to plan, you plan to fail.” We always see

the same pattern at our gym - the weather

gets cold and blustery out and we get super

busy. Then as the holiday season gets ever

closer, the numbers drop and drop and

drop - too much going on, no time, etc. etc.

This year do something different. Make

exercise a priority, put it fi rst. Schedule it

in. And let’s be honest, promising yourself

isn’t enough, so set yourself up to win and

this is how:

• Get a good friend, someone who is en-

thusiastic and a strong supporter and part-

ner up. Arrange to meet for a set time and

place for each workout, (with consequenc-

es if you miss). Make sure you have com-

mon goals and are encouraging to each

other. It’s best if you are at similar fi tness

levels too. Make a set of rules - you miss;

you donate money to my charity or lose

points in a contest, or put money in a jar

and the one with the most points etc. at the

end wins the jar, something like that.

• Even better - join a boot camp or class

series. The kind that have a monthly re-

newal or a stronger commitment are best

because you will stick with it. Training

on your own is not for everyone. A strong

support system like boot camp with new

friends that will be there and be happy to

be there each and every class is so motivat-

ing. The instructor will make sure you get

a great workout and all you have to do is

show up.

• If you really want to dig in and get great

results start working one-on-one with a

personal trainer. It is their job and their

passion and commitment to make sure you

stay on target and survive the weight gain

season.

Step two – your eating plan. You are go-

ing to be presented with dozens and dozens

of opportunities to indulge and eat more

calories than you could ever burn off. I am

not saying you cannot enjoy a few things

here and there, but eating until you are so

full you are in pain is not going to serve

you in January. Ask yourself this - what’s

more uncomfortable - sticking with just a

few treats or having to face a 20 lb weight

gain in the New Year? Instant gratifi cation

or long-term pain?

Heading to a party? Bring some healthy

fruits, veggies or nice centre-pieces to the

party this year instead of baking three

dozen treats and taking half of them home

to eat yourself. As soon as you get to the

party, start drinking water (add some

cranberries or lemon) and snack on veg-

gies (it’s nearly impossible to over-eat raw

veggies) so that your hands are busy and

you will be less likely to grab the heavy cal-

orie foods. When you get to the buffet line,

load up on veggies, greens and some lean

meats First, fi lling your plate and then just

have a few little taste samples of the heavy

foods like stuffi ng and gravy. Again, drink

water with your meal, too.

(Remember that alcohol has seven calo-

ries per gram, nearly double that of carbs

and protein and nearly as much as fat. En-

joy, but keep it limited.)

If you are like me, eggnog is a prob-

lem. It’s yummy, but so loaded with calo-

ries, as are all of the fancy coffees and lattes

and holiday drinks. Go easy on that stuff.

Stick with hot apple cinnamon tea or coffee

with some Stevia in it instead of sugar.

Look, you aren’t going to be able to

avoid all of the treats, or tray after tray

of snacks, and maybe you don’t want to

be that person who stands out as the one

who won’t join in on the eating, so here’s

the plan - have one treat and then see how

long you can take to eat it. Seriously, can

you make it last fi ve minutes? 10 minutes?

Your host will see you several times with a

treat in hand and assume you are just like

everyone else, popping them in every fi ve

seconds at 200-400 calories each. One treat

equals 30 minutes of burpees, so choose

wisely.

You just have to decide what happens

to you this season - a few extra training

sessions to burn off some fun or a 20

lb weight gain that will be with you for

months and months, possibly years. Re-

member, we have been conditioned to

indulge, it’s in our genetics – our ances-

tors were trying to survive winter in a

cave. You are not in that situation so you

need a plan to resist the urge to fatten up

for January. Stay strong! Arrive in 2015

in better shape than you are today! Re-

solve to be healthier and happier, with

more energy and more life energy than

ever before.

Be the one who swims upstream, avoids

the crowd and bucks the trend. Be the ex-

ample of how to live a full and healthy life,

instead of conforming and complaining

with everyone else.

Scott McDermott is a personal trainer and owner of Best Body Fitness in Sylvan Lake.

‘Weight gain season’ is now upon us Scott

M c D E R M O T T

Wednesday, December 3, 2014 RED DEER FAMILY CELEBRATIONS, Red Deer Express 1312 Red Deer Express, RED DEER FAMILY CELEBRATIONS Wednesday, December 3, 2014


BY MARK WEBERRed Deer Express

There are all kinds of

Christmas traditions that

folks hold dear, but some-

times little is known about

when or where they origi-

nated from.

“The celebration of

Christmas is accompanied

by numerous traditions

and customs which have

developed in many parts of

the world over a long peri-

od of time,” writes Rudolph

Brasch in his book Christ-

mas Customs & Traditions.

“No other festival has pro-

duced such a wealth and

variety of customs, and

each one has its own fasci-

nating story.”

First of all, the word

‘Christmas’ is derived

from ‘Christ’s Mass’ – the

fi rst religious celebrations

which honoured Jesus

Christ’s birth. Pinpointing

a date for the celebration

didn’t come until AD 350,

when Pope Julius I desig-

nated Dec. 25 as Christmas

Day.

“He did so mainly to

counteract the effect of the

popular feast held in hon-

our of Saturn – Saturna-

lia – which occurred at the

time of the winter solstice.”

Christmas trees took a

long time to become part

of holiday celebrations in

English-speaking coun-

tries. Royalty was responsi-

ble for helping to establish

the tradition in Britain.

“Prince Albert, Queen

Victoria’s German-born

husband, had a Christmas

tree erected in Windsor

Castle in nostalgic remem-

brance of his homeland.

The royal example was

soon copied by the general

public, and the custom

then spread throughout the

world.”

Although Christmas

cards may not be as com-

mon as they once were,

it’s still a popular tradi-

tion with many during the

holiday season. According

to Brasch, the Christmas

card was invented by Sir

Henry Cole in 1843. “He

was a well-known London

art dealer who aspired to

improve the general pub-

lic’s taste.

“He came up with the

idea of the fi rst Christmas

card, a simple yet attractive

token of friendship which,

he felt, would further en-

hance this special day.”

Still, it took about 20

years for the idea to really

catch on. But by the 1860s,

stationery companies were

producing thousands of

cards and during the fol-

lowing three decades,

printers in Britain supplied

a whopping 163,000 variet-

ies of Christmas cards.

Poinsettia plants’ con-

nection to Christmas dates

back to Joel R. Poinsett,

who served as the United

State’s fi rst ambassador to

Mexico from 1825 to 1829.

“During that time, he

came to admire a beauti-

ful indigenous plant with

large scarlet leaves en-

circling small, greenish-

yellow blossoms, which

the Mexicans had adopted

as their Christmas fl ower.

He liked it so much that he

sent specimens back home,

where they soon fl our-

ished.”

As for the presentation

of nativity scenes, this

custom stretches back

centuries to the time of St.

Francis of Assisi. “After

receiving permission from

the Pope, he erected the

fi rst one during Christmas

of 1224 in a cave outside of

the Italian town of Grec-

cio.” Live animals were in-

cluded of course, and it was

a “Novel and eye-catching

way to celebrate the mem-

ory of the child who was

born in Bethlehem.

“When people gath-

ered to view the spectacle,

Francis stood in front of

the manger and recited

the Gospel related to the

scene, then he delivered a

sermon.”

As for St. Nick, the origi-

nal Santa Claus was St.

Nicholas, a fourth century

bishop of Myra which is

now part of Turkey. The

Dutch, in particular, came

to love the legend of Nicho-

las. In their language his

name became Sinter Klaas.

“The British eventually

anglicized his name, thus

creating the modern Santa

Claus.”

Of course, music is

an enormous part of the

Christmas season from tra-

ditional carols to modern

classics. White Christmas,

one of the most well-known

holiday hits, was written in

1942 by Irving Berlin. “He

composed if for the fi lm

Holiday Inn, a musical

which starred Bing Crosby

and Fred Astaire.”

White Christmas went

on to receive the Acad-

emy Award for Best Song

of 1942, and according to

Brasch, the sale of its sheet

music has never been sur-

passed by any other single

song.

On the traditional side,

few carols have resonated

quite like Silent Night, fi rst

sung on Christmas Eve in

1818 in the Austrian vil-

lage of Oberndorf. Father

Josef Mohr was preparing

for his midnight mass, and

found that the organ was

out of order thanks to some

pesky mice. “Father Mohr

felt that the service would

lose much of its beauty

and warmth if there was

no music. Something had

to take the place of the or-

gan.”

He had penned a Christ-

mas poem which he took

to the local school master,

Franz Gruber who also

composed music on an in-

formal basis and played the

guitar. “Mohr asked him

whether he could quickly

set this poem to music so

that it would be ready that

night. He should do so for

two solo voices to be accom-

panied by guitars.”

It only took a few hours

for Gruber to come up with

the simple yet elegant tune,

and the song was sung that

night for the fi rst time. Its

popularity spread quickly

across the country and

eventually throughout

Europe. A century passed

and singer Bing Crosby,

as he had done with White

Christmas, lent his golden

voice to the melody and

a truly global classic was

born.

“Almost 100 years later,

Bing Crosby gave it world

fame.”

[email protected]

Histories of our treasured Christmas traditions

Missed the First Holiday Express? 2nd Edition December 17th!

Please call 403.346.3356 tobook your space!

Holiday Express #2


Christmas is my most favourite

time of year. I love the season, the

fancy holiday coffees, the build-

up, the music, the cheerfulness in

the air, the hustle and bustle and

most importantly the time with

family and friends.

This year my family began a

new tradition and it’s defi nitely

one that is going to stick for years

to come. We enjoyed it that much.

To help keep the volume of

gifts under control years ago my

extended family on my mom’s

side decided that we would draw

names so that each person only

purchased one gift for one person.

This year we decided to do

things a little differently and it

was better than any gift any one

of us could receive.

We decided, as a family, to put

together backpacks for the home-

less.

We stuffed 16 backpacks full

of goods (one backpack for each

family member). As this was our

fi rst go at doing something like

this, it was kind of a trial and er-

ror to see what worked, but our

fi rst attempt was defi nitely a suc-

cess.

Each of my family members

purchased two different items

and got 16 of each item. My hus-

band and I were in charge of get-

ting hand warmers, Chapstick,

individual soups and dried fruit.

Other items we included were

beanies, socks, scarves and mitts

as well as toothbrushes and

toothpaste, combs, deodorant,

bars of soap, emergency blan-

kets, canned items with pull tabs,

apple sauce and fruit cups, crack-

ers and peanut butter, among oth-

ers.

This past weekend we all got to-

gether and stuffed the backpacks.

We met at my aunt and uncle’s

house in Calgary and to make

the gathering more festive, we de-

cided to do a Christmas potluck

as well.

It was such a special time – lots

of laughs were had and there was

pure joy in everyone’s faces. The

spirit of Christmas was brightly

shining.

Of course we always have such

a great time getting together, but

the cherry on top was that there

was purpose – a very important

purpose. Ultimately, we are help-

ing those who are less fortunate.

I sat back a few times and just

took in my surroundings – my

uncles joking back and forth, my

cousins chatting about the latest

in their lives, and it really made

me realize how lucky I truly am.

It’s these moments in life that re-

ally count.

This was such a great way to

kick off the holiday season. And

to spend time with my extended

family who I don’t get to see that

often, was such a treat in itself.

We will carry this tradition go-

ing forward and it will always be

something we look forward to.

It makes you feel so good when

you help others whether it be buy-

ing someone’s coffee behind you

in the lineup or opening a door

for a mother who has an armful

of children. It doesn’t have to be

anything extreme or grandiose.

Small acts of kindness go a long

way. That same positive feeling is

still there.

As I get older (and maybe a

little wiser) I continue to learn

what life is all about. And there is

no better time than Christmas to

get little hints of that.

Making new traditions and get-

ting excited for the old ones that

make the season what it is, is

such an important aspect of the

Christmas season for me and I’m

so grateful I have a great family to

share that with too.

[email protected]

Giving back a new family Christmas tradition

Erin

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wishh you wellwishhhhhh you wellWe have the gifts that...We have the gifts that...

Hot chocolate

This recipe is easy for

kids to make. It also makes

a great gift idea. Have your

kids decorate a couple of

airtight jars or containers

to put the chocolate mix-

ture in. Then have then

print out the recipe; add 2

tbsp of mix to 1 cup of hot

milk. Attach it to the jar

and give it away.

Hot chocolate mix

3 1/2 cups of white sugar

2 1/4 cups cocoa

1 tbsp salt

Add the above to a large

bowl and whisk to mix well.

Store in an airtight con-

tainer.

Classic sugar cookies

This recipe makes 18-20,

four-inch cookies, be sure

to allow time for the dough

to cool in the refrigerator,

one hour or more. You can

divide up the cookies and

have each child decorate

them.

4 cups sifted all purpose

fl our

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter,

room temperature

2 large eggs

2 cups white sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

parchment paper

decorations, colored

sugar, sparkles and small

candies

Sift the fl our, baking

powder and salt into a

small bowl. Put the butter

and sugar in a large bowl

and mix at medium speed

with an electric mixer until

fl uffy.

Mix in eggs and vanilla.

Reduce to a lower speed.

Gradually mix in fl our

mixture. Divide dough in

half; fl atten each half into

a disk. Wrap each in plas-

tic. Refrigerate until fi rm

– about one hour.

Pre-heat oven to 325 de-

grees with racks in upper

and lower thirds.

Let one disk of dough

stand at room temperature

just until it’s soft enough

to roll, about 5-10 minutes,

keep the other disk in the

refrigerator.

Roll out between two

pieces of parchment paper

to 1/4 inch thick. Remove

top layer of paper. Cut out

the cookies with your fa-

vourite four-inch Christ-

mas shapes. Transfer the

shapes to a baking sheet

lined with parchment pa-

per to bake.

Bake, switching posi-

tions of sheets and rotating

halfway through until the

edges are golden for about

15-18 minutes. Let them

cool on sheets on the top of

wire racks. Let the kids be

creative and decorate. Re-

peat with remaining disk

of dough.

FESTIVE IDEA – Bonnee Gregg and Krista Vandenbrink, co-owners of The Breathing Room, decorate their yogi-inspired tree which was on display at the Festival of Trees this past weekend. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

Family recipes for over the Christmas season

Marina

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I’m one of those people that just can’t

resist digging out the Christmas music in,

well, mid-October. Much to the chagrin

of many family members, co-workers and

friends. I can’t help it. I love the season

with all of its charm. Music essentially

mirrors what it’s all about, and it helps me

settle into the Christmas spirit.

Ultimately, for me, the word that comes

to mind when I think of Christmas is

‘warmth’. My parents made every holiday

season as special, memorable and fun as

possible – I have nothing but a collection of

wonderful memories of childhood Christ-

mases. And to this day, it’s by far my favou-

rite season.

Looking back, I don’t have so much a

specifi c year in mind that stands out in

terms of Christmas. It’s more like looking

through a big book of memories packed

with photos, mementos, cards and such –

all kinds of moments come to mind.

Even school became a relatively fun

place to be, with parties and the rehears-

als of our annual Christmas productions.

Teachers seemed to grow quite a bit more

relaxed as the holidays approached and it

wasn’t lost on us kids.

Another highlight - the living room of

our Eastview home was always decorated

in fi ne holiday tradition. As a child, I re-

call my favourite moments being in the

evening when the lights on the tree would

be glowing and making the room appear

much more magical.

Of course, family was and is integral to

our Christmas celebrations.

Both sides of the family were visited in

those years – one set on Christmas Eve;

the other on Christmas Day. So it was a tir-

ing couple of days for sure. But it was that

‘good’ kind of tired.

Other memories are quieter but are just

as important to me. One of my favourites is

recalling how we would pile into the frozen

car on Christmas Eve to attend the 11 p.m.

service at Gaetz United Church.

Even though it was usually freezing cold

out and the car wouldn’t want to start, it

was exciting for a youngster like me to be

venturing outdoors at such a late hour.

I can still remember the effects of the

fl ickering candles on the stained glass win-

dows, the carols that were sung and the

true meaning of Christmas being shared

through a simple message and scripture

readings. I remember those services like

they were just days ago – surrounded by all

the grown-ups and taking in the wonder of

it all. Our Sunday school class would also

take part in the annual Christmas concert

at the church too – a fun, lively and colour-

ful evening of celebrating the season with

lots of proud parents happily snapping

photos of their kids onstage.

Another local highlight for me as a boy

was visiting City Hall Park, which at the

time featured a nativity scene complete

with Mary, Joseph, the wise men and

of course the baby Jesus. But I was also

drawn to the quiet, unassuming display.

Nestled in the midst of the brightly-lit

park with strings of lights decorating the

nearby trees, it was a rather powerful sight

to behold.

Ultimately, one of the best things to me

about Christmas as a child was how little

it changed year by year. I loved the com-

fortable predictability of it. We did virtu-

ally the same things year after year, and I

wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

From the food to the decorations around

the City, to the sights and sounds that

make Christmastime that much more ter-

rifi c - each Christmas was indeed a gift in

and of itself.

These days, as a guy in my mid-40s, the

season is just as special. It’s different now

in many ways, however. My grandmother

passed away last year, and her absence

has certainly affected things. Other cir-

cumstances in my life these days – some

extremely challenging – tend to pull things

into a more serious light.

But somehow, someway – the comfort

and peace of the season is still there. If you

are willing to take the time to look for it.

As I get older, I also appreciate more

fully what Christmas really points to – the

birth of Jesus Christ and the hope, grace,

salvation and joy that He brought and

brings to our world. Presents are wonder-

ful but their appeal – let’s face it – fades

quite quickly. It’s the deeper meanings of

the season that mean the most.

[email protected]

It’s the deeper meanings of the season that mean the most

ROMANTIC EVENING - Patrick and Katie Wozney enjoy an evening on the trails at Heritage Ranch for the Winter Nights Lights Tour. The tour is host to thousands of Christmas lights and is the perfect romantic setting for any occasion as guests are pulled along in a horse-drawncarriage or sleigh. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express

Mark

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BY KALISHA MENDONSARed Deer Express

Ten Thousand Villages is much more

than an eclectic store – it is a place to be-

come involved in developing communities

around the world.

Ten Thousand Villages is one of the old-

est and largest fair trade organizations in

North America, according to their web

site. It is a non-profi t organization that is

governed by the Mennonite Central Com-

mittee and is a recognized member of the

World Fair Trade Organization.

For local volunteer Rita Penman, Ten

Thousand Villages was a way to fulfi ll her

desire of helping children on a global scale,

something that she cares deeply about.

“I get to help children in developing

countries. I get to support them through

the sale of whatever crafts that people

send to us. Seventy per cent of the artisans

are women – Ten Thousand Villages allows

them to support their families in countries

where women are not employable. They

are also working at home – they get to be

around their kids and take care of them,”

said Penman.

“These sales also provide empowerment

for the people that are making these goods.

There is empowerment through employ-

ment – these people craft to be able to feed

and educate their families.”

Penman has been a volunteer with the

local chapter for a number of years. Most

of the people who work for Ten Thousand

Village stores are volunteers, with the ex-

ception of some managers and the part-

time employees who are around during

Christmas season.

For Penman, an important aspect of

working with Ten Thousand Villages is

the opportunity she gets to share the sto-

ries behind the crafts with customers who

come into the store.

“The customers are terrifi c and come

from all walks of life, and are interested in

learning about how these crafts are made,

what country they come from and what the

purpose of Ten Thousand Villages is, and

how that actually benefi ts the people in the

developing countries where these crafts

come from,” she said.

Currently, Ten Thousand Villages and

the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)

are working to raise funds for the MCC

program of Living Gifts. Through this

program, people can donate to a specifi c

cause or program that is outlined in the

brochure catalogue.

Some of the options that can be sup-

ported through Living Gifts are irrigation

systems, wildlife such as chickens and

goats, education programs, health care,

the humanitarian crisis of Syria and even

immigrant consultations that will allow a

person to potentially immigrate to Canada

or the United States.

“What makes Ten Thousand Villages

unique is that it operates with a fair-trade

industry that is governed, and you can be-

lieve in it. You can believe that it is a good

organization that is helping a lot of people

in the world,” said Penman.

The goods sold in Ten Thousand Vil-

lages originate from over 30 countries

worldwide, with more than 100 individual

artisan groups contributing to the ever-

changing collection of items available. The

artisans are supported in entirety before

the goods even leave the country of origin.

Tina Bale, manager of the Red Deer

store, explains how the artisans are paid

and how Ten Thousand Villages is com-

mitted to supporting the communities that

produce goods for sale.

“Fifty per cent of money being given

to artisans is given to them up-front so

that they can buy supplies, because many

people can’t afford to do that. The other 50

per cent comes when the items are ready

to be shipped – that means that every arti-

san is paid in full before their product even

comes to Canada,” Bale explained.

“None of the money made in Canada is

sent back to them post-sale, the artisans

are paid ahead of time. The money that is

raised in the stores here is re-invested in

those communities.”

Bale said, “The goal of Ten Thousand

Villages Red Deer Society is when we make

a profi t, to re-invest that back into mission-

ary organizations and programs that bet-

ter communities.”

Bale has been with the Society for a long

time and she says that one of the things

she really appreciates about how MCC acts

is that they are engaged in the needs and

wants of the people they are helping. The

group asks those they are helping what

would benefi t them the most, and what the

community needs.

For example, MCC provided a loan to

a group of women in a rural village who

said that they wanted to use the money for

a big-screen TV. The women eventually

used that TV to create a community cen-

tre where people could pay a small amount

of money to view FIFA World Cup games

on TV. They paid back their MCC loan

in record time and were able to create a

long-lasting community centre that helped

them provide steady income to their fami-

lies.

“We are currently underway with our

MCC Living Gifts program. Ten Thousand

Villages does not keep any profi t from that

program – it goes straight towards other

MCC programs (such as education and

sustainability development) within com-

munities,” she said.

Each donation and category in the Liv-

ing Gifts program is outlined with specifi cs

of how much of the donation is allocated to

what part of the program, and how it ben-

efi ts the recipients.

Ten Thousand Villages is located in

downtown Red Deer with extended hours

for the holiday season.

[email protected]

PRETTY PLACE – Store manager Tina Bale decorates one of four Christmas trees in the downtown Red Deer Ten Thousand Villages, using hand-made artisan crafts from around the globe. Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express

Ten Thousand Villages a great place to shop for a cause


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A few years back, an organiza-

tion called ‘What To Do With The

Kids’ compiled a list of the top

holiday fi lms to enjoy over the

Christmas season.

Organizers polled followers

and asked them to give their lists

of the top Christmas or holiday

movies or television shows that

the whole family can watch.

The list was well received and

judging by the feedback was very

popular. Two years later however

they decided to ask their follow-

ers again and there has been

quite a shift in popularity of some

of those classic movies.

Looking at the new list, it

seems that black and white mov-

ies are now out.

Many parents suggested that

once the movie started, the kids

would complain about the colour,

or lack of it.

And many families have

said that although they enjoyed

watching the old black and white

movies in past years, they tend to

agree with their kids that it has

very little appeal today.

The Frank Capra classic It’s a

Wonderful Life dropped from sec-

ond to third place while Miracle

on 34th Street went from a tie in

fi fth to eighth place.

Animated features are as popu-

lar as ever but many adults com-

mented that they were not able to

watch them on regular television

as they normally would because

of their busy schedules so they

opted to purchase a copy on DVD.

Many parents commented that

they had purchased DVD or Blue

Ray versions of their favourites

but made an effort to only bring

them out during the holiday sea-

son.

Most respondents however had

said that they still do get the fam-

ily together to watch at least one

holiday movie. It’s an important

part of the holiday season and a

great way to spend time together

as a family.

With more than 1,400 entries,

What To Do With The Kids®

presents the updated Top 10 Fam-

ily Christmas/Holiday Movie or

Television Shows.

1. How The Grinch Stole Christ-

mas (1966 – animated)

2. The Polar Express (2004 – ani-

mated)

3. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

4. Rudolph The Red Nosed Rein-

deer (1964 – animated)

5. Elf (2004)

6. A Charlie Brown Christmas

(1965 – animated)

7. The Santa Clause (1994)

8. Frosty the Snowman (1969 –

animated)

9. The Grinch (2000)

10. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

11. National Lampoon’s Christ-

mas Vacation (1989)

12. A Muppet Christmas Carol

(1992)

Here are the movies that are

no longer on the list: A Christmas

Story (1983); A Christmas Carol

(1951); White Christmas (1954) and

Home Alone (1990).

Other gems worth noting in-

clude The Nativity Story (2006).

The movie retells the true story

of Christmas in a manner that

feels authentic. With fi ne direc-

tion, great sets and superb acting,

viewers get a feel for the experi-

ences of Mary and Joseph as they

prepared for the birth of Jesus.

Thanks to the superb acting

and having been fi lmed overseas,

there again is that sense of real-

ism – it helps viewers to imagine

what life must have been like in

those days.

Another treasure is The Bells

of St. Mary’s (1949) which fea-

tures Bing Crosby as unconven-

tional Father O’Malley.

He is sent to a school which is

on the verge of being closed, but

works together with Sister Bene-

dict (Ingrid Bergman) to save the

facility.

It’s a gentle, sweet-natured

story with one of the more en-

dearing renditions of the nativity

scene ever to hit the screen.

-Weber

Film favourites for the festive season


Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for your generosity.

In the spirit of the season, we would like to In the spirit of the season, we would like to express our deep gratitude for the support you express our deep gratitude for the support you have shown us this year. have shown us this year.

Wishing everyone a Joyous holiday season Wishing everyone a Joyous holiday season and a very happy New Year.

There was once a time

when I was the youngest

member of my extended

family.

With three older sisters

and many older cousins, I

was always the youngest

person to sit at the Christ-

mas dinner table.

Christmas Eve traditions

included ordering Chinese

food and a fi reworks dis-

play that my uncles and

father would light on the

lawn of my grandmother’s

farm outside of Erskine for

all of the neighbours and

our family to sit and be in

awe of.

But long gone are the days

of large family Christmases

on our grandmother’s lawn

watching the big bangs and

eating ginger beef.

Christmas with the

Swans looks a bit different

these days, as we welcome

new members to our family.

This year will be me and

my family’s second in Red

Deer and believe it or not

– some people may not like

it if we started shooting off

fi reworks on my parent’s

front lawn in Anders.

This means new holiday

traditions are in store.

For the third year, I am

no longer the youngest in

my family tree, as my sis-

ters have begun to extend

our lineage. With the birth

of my nephews, Grayson

and Declan in 2011, and

my niece Olivia in 2013 our

family traditions began to

change.

This year congratula-

tions are in order to my sis-

ter Vicki and her husband

Troy as this will be there

fi rst Christmas as a mar-

ried couple and we couldn’t

be happier to have Troy be

a part of our family.

With these new members

to our growing family come

new memories.

Christmas in our fam-

ily again revolves around

the children, as it once did

when I was a child. In the

past few years we’ve opted

for quiet Christmas Eves

around a fi re place play-

ing board games and eating

one of mom’s famous cre-

ations, rather than the fi re-

works and Chinese cuisine

of the past.

I’ll always cherish those

Christmases but even more

so I will cherish the sights

and sounds of my niece

and nephews’ laughter and

smiles on these fi rst few

holidays with our family.

Although I disagree with

mainstream versions of

what Christmas means,

with the elaborate pres-

ents and consumer-driven

ideologies surrounding the

holiday, I’ve come to em-

brace the season as a time

of appreciation towards my

family.

In a busy, bustling world

it can be hard for families

to fi nd themselves with all

members in the same room.

People get busy through-

out the year and when you

come from a large family

such as mine, it is a rare

occurrence you will see all

members together at once.

Christmas is one of the

only times that I am guar-

anteed the presence of all

my sisters and parents at

the same time and table.

For this reason, I cherish

the Christmas season.

What once was four little

girls clustered around a

Christmas tree has evolved

to four women clustered

around my niece and neph-

ews, and what a welcome

change that has been.

Hopefully one day we

will have the pleasure of

looking back on this Christ-

mas as the fi rst year we

started a new tradition and

reminisce on the memories

that we had on this second

Christmas in Red Deer.

[email protected]

Christmastime with the Swan family

Jenna

S W A N


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The holidays are a whole

lot of fun – there are parties,

snacks and plenty of chanc-

es to unwind. There’s abso-

lutely no downside except,

of course, going to the mall.

At this time of year, the

mall is hot, crowded, and

unpleasant but, shopping

experts at RedFlagDeals.

com have put together a list

of tips that will help you

handle it like a pro.

Go against the fl ow. Go-

ing to the mall after a day

at work or on a Saturday

or Sunday means crowds,

crowds, and more crowds.

Try hitting the mall before

work for more convenient

parking, less people – and

the fi rst crack at newly re-

stocked shelves.

Good things come to

those who wait. For friends

or relations that you won’t

see until after the holi-

days, consider holding off

on shopping for their gifts.

Yes, if you head out on Box-

ing Day the mall will be

just as hot, crowded, and

unpleasant, but the deals

might be better.

Layer up. In our com-

pletely (un)scientifi c opin-

ion, the mall runs about

45C all winter. So if you’re

headed to the mall, dress

lightly, in easy-to-remove

layers. And bring some-

thing to stuff that heavy

winter coat in.

Shop online. It’s awfully

convenient and comfort-

able to shop online, so do

as much of that as you can.

And even if you’re shop-

ping in-store, make sure

you research prices and

items online fi rst.

www.newscanada.com

How to survive hectic holiday shopping


I have happily reaped

the benefi ts of multiple

Christmases for nearly two

decades and have a number

of Christmas traditions.

My parents have been

divorced essentially my

whole life, and this worked

out very well for holidays.

Not because I got more

presents, but because I get

more family time.

The traditions that I hold

with my father’s side of the

family have changed a little

bit as I’ve grown. As a child,

my brother and I would at-

tend midnight masses with

our grandparents, head

home, open a single gift and

head to bed.

In the morning, we

would gather our father

and stepmother Amanda,

sit around our tree – al-

ways decorated beautifully

by Amanda – and pass

around the stockings. We

would open the rest of our

gifts and relax around the

house, usually with some

of Amanda’s baking. Once

a year she would treat us to

our favourite family snack

– Five Star Bars.

Some years, I had so

many dinners I never want-

ed to see turkey again. (Just

kidding, turkey is the abso-

lute best food ever.) Din-

ners with grandparents,

cousins, aunts and uncles

were always fun. I have a

large European family and

when we all get together it

can be a pretty good time.

As I’ve gotten older, I have

changed from playing with

toys with my cousins to en-

joying a glass of Christmas

wine with the adults. I still

love Christmas, regardless

of presents, because I get

to see my family that has

grown and spread around

Calgary.

In Red Deer, Christmas

with my mom holds its own

traditions. In Red Deer, the

season opens with baking -

lots and lots of baking.

My mom and I would

bake cookies and choco-

lates and send them out

to all of the branches she

managed. We would keep

the rest and each year

we tried new designs for

chocolates and new cookie

recipes. Our house al-

ways started to smell good

around the fi rst week of

December and I loved

spending the time with my

mom.

As a kid, we make tons

of crafts for our tree. Each

year, my brother and I

would pester our mom to

drag out the decorations

and we would spend hours

going through them as we

fi lled the tree.

It wasn’t the fl ashiest

tree, but this was al-

ways one of my fa-

vourite things. I love

looking at the crafts

I remember from my

childhood and hear-

ing the stories from

my mom that go

with each deco-

ration. I loved

those trees.

In recent

years, my

mom ditched

the big tree

and opted

for a palm

tree – she

hates win-

ter and

wanted to be reminded of

beautiful beaches. To me,

a palm tree doesn’t count,

but it makes her happy and

that’s okay with me.

Since my mom’s fi ancé

has joined our family, I

have had even more cous-

ins and aunts and grand-

parents to spend time with.

They are all based in Mani-

toba, but we usually fi gure

out a way to see each other.

They are a great group of

people so I’m happy to add

those visits to my Christ-

mas tradition list.

The dinners at mom’s

tend to vary and now car-

ry a Ukrainian infl uence,

thanks to my stepfather

Todd. I could do without

the cabbage rolls, but have

quite taken to the delicious

stuffi ng presented each

year.

Presents have never

been the central idea of

my family’s Christmases.

Sure, I won’t deny enjoy-

ing them but what I like the

most is the spirit and close-

ness that my family carries

through the season.

Christmas movies are an

essential in my life. I have

three Christmas movies

that I watch at least once

every December: How the

Grinch Stole Christmas

(1966 cartoon version), The

Nightmare Before Christ-

mas, and Elf are a must-

have to get me in the holi-

day spirit.

Growing up, neither of

my parents lived an affl u-

ent lifestyle, but there was

always a Christmas dinner

and time spent together.

I love seeing my siblings,

and each year my family

seems to grow some more.

In recent years, I have

incorporated some new

traditions that include my

boyfriend and his family.

They love to get together

for dinners and now I am

always invited. Their fam-

ily is so loving and welcom-

ing that being with them

over the holidays makes

everything even more

special.

I know lots of peo-

ple who don’t care

much for Christ-

mas, but I love it. I

grew up knowing

the religious rea-

sons for Christ-

mas but the

meaning I take

from it is that

it is a time to

be with my

loved ones

and refl ect

on the

previous

year.

My last personal tradi-

tion is to take time to write

out all of the things I went

through that year, positive

and negative, and refl ect on

how I have grown and what

I have accomplished. This

gives me a sense of what I

want to work toward and

where I am in my life.

Going forward, I think

I’d like to include a little

more giving back. I have

had diffi culties in my life

that make me aware of the

people who need a little bit

more help to get through

the winter, not just Dec.

25th.

I believe that Christmas

is a time for people to look

back and appreciate what

they have. I don’t care if I

have presents, dinners or

whatever else as long as I

get to enjoy the season with

the people I love in my life.

[email protected]

Christmas traditions for my family

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M E N D O N S A


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This special feature

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Special Features - Red Deer Family Holiday Celebrations 2014