Christmas

… We loved Christmas, and each year, with the owner’s permission, Dad would go to Jocelyn’s pasture and cut a big spruce tree…Before the electricity, we had little candle holders and these were clipped to the spruce boughs and the little candles were only lit while the presents were being passed out. Dad always had a large pail of water beside the tree, just in case…

Very few people had turkey for Christmas or New Year’s, but you could always get goose at the market or from a farmer…in Antigonish oranges were so expensive and scarce you were lucky to find one in the toe of your Christmas stocking…

New Year's Day was Gentleman's Day

With a sleigh and lots of bells on the horse’s harness, they would drive up and down and length of Main Street at a smart clip several times and then begin to make short calls on any homes along the Main street where they had friends. We loved to watch the parade…This custom didn’t stop when cars came along because people had to “put their cars up” for the winter. Your close friends could drop in any time and that kind of call often ended with a sing at our house in the evenings…