french-Canadian Christmas customs
being Anglicized as new people arrive
by Peter Buckley
Canadian Press Staff Wirier
QUEBEC (/P) Villagers of Is-!
land of Orleans parish will at
tend Midnight Mass this Christ i
mas Eve an a modern stone
church.
For more than 200 years par
ishioners in the villajgte near
Quebec have worshipped in a
Txh best Wishes -for a
Merrv Christmas
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Totem Electric |
Jack Stair Sandy Kainuiainen
ot o* ***
‘r"- e acceP‘ I tot
Ple8 .U be i°yt
Anchor Cocktail Bar
and
Liquor Store
lit! de wooden church built in
1717.
Time at last caught up with
the St. Lawrence river island.
The church has become a mus
eum. Horse-drawn sleighs, with
bells tinkling, will still bring
j villagers to mass this Ohrist
I mas Eve, but they will share
! packing space beside late model
; cars.
Sweepings changes have come
over the “Jour de Noel” through
out Quebec province in the last
few decades. To concentrate
giiil. giving and holiday meads
os Christmas is an Anglicized
tradition at odds with the cus
toms of French Canada. New
Year’s Day. until recent years,
was traditionally reserved for
visits I jo neighbors and relatives
the giving of presents and hos
pitality.
As Englisn-sipeaking peoples
became an increasingly influenti
al factor is the life of the pro
vince, their traditions began to
spread. New Year’s Day is still
a time to visit but Christmas
has become the day when Pere
Noel (Father Christmas) makes
his ' rip from the North Pole.
One tradition that has hung
on, although considerably de
flated, is the “Reveidon.” On
Christmas morning after mid
night mass, the (family gather
round he Christmas tree — an
j other innovation — for the ex
j change of gifts followed by a
•' meal. This mead nowadays is
--— ---. -.
inclined to be a modest aflfair (
of sandwickes, or a cold buf
fet and fruit cake or cookies.
The Christmas Day dinner it
self is almost a duplicate of 'hat
enjoyed in Enigilish speaking
families — studied turkey, bak*
?d potatoes, vegetables and des
>ert usually pie. Theer is little
3if the stridily French tradition
in meals.
(continued on page twelve;
We extend to you oo*
CwdW ffo 6<% (jnerfiyf
with every good wish
for your complete happiness in the days to come.
Stor Cafe and Fountain
It is good to have served you,
and we are grateful, not only from
the standpoint of the good business
we’ve enjoyed, but from the
i
knowledge that our greatest
asset is our many friends we are
privileged to serve.
Merry Christmas wishes.
Sitka Public
es
Board of Control and Utilities Employees