Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Welcome to Fascinating Facts and Tantalizing Trivia

A Hartson Dowd Column

December 24, 2006

‘Twas the night before Christmas

And all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring

Not even a mouse.”

The now-immortal poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” was written by Clement Moore for his children back in 1822.   A neighbour child laughed with me the other day as he remarked, “You know that this poem was written a very long time ago, Hart. “The night before Christmas . . . not a creature was stirring’ meant that they weren’t frantically trying to put together some complicated child’s toy in order that it be in working condition by Christmas morning.  Last year I was trying to assemble a wagon---a degree in engineering would have been an asset!  It also didn’t help that the only set of instructions was in Japanese and I couldn’t make sense of the drawings.”

Here in Canada Christmas Eve is celebrated in many different ways, and each family has its own traditions.

For French-Canadian families it is the custom for all of the family to come together for Christmas Eve.  The midnight Mass, or minuette, is celebrated, after which the family returns home for the reveillon, a wonderful dinner for family and friends.  Gifts are opened after Mass and children may stay up as late as they wish.  In the home of our friends in Quebec City, every one of the five children always tries to stay awake all night, but by 1:30 or 2 a.m. all eyes are closed and the children would be sleeping soundly.  Tourtiere and soup with hot home-made bread is always a delicious part of le reveillon at our friends home.

The midnight church service celebrating the birth of Jesus is the main Christmas Eve tradition for Christians of all denominations.  Many European-Canadians eat a large hot meatless meal before attending church, because it is a fast day.

Polish-Canadians celebrate this night much as the Ukrainian Canadians do on January 6^th (Christmas Eve on the Julian calendar).  Celebrations begin when the first star is seen, and that star symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem.  The Polish Wigilia is the most solemn event of the year and is celebrated with the most beautiful tablecloth and the finest cutlery and china on which to serve a twelve-course meatless dinner.  One extra place is always set for any stranger who may arrive, and also in memory of relatives who have passed away during the year.

After Mass, when the fast has ended, Poles enjoy a hunter’s stew of cabbage, sauerkraut, onions, mushrooms, kielbasa sausage, beef ribs and other meats.

Carolling going from house to house sing Christmas Carols is also a Christmas Eve tradition in many areas.  The tradition in the Middle Ages came to North America with the English settlers.

Italian-Canadians also get together in family groups on Christmas Eve.  After a meatless meal the family will head off to church.  An impressive part of the Italian celebration is the presepio, or the cr?che, a model of the Nativity scene.  It is not unusual to have life-size figures of Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in the manger and worshipping angels, shepherds and animals both inside and outside the church.  It is said that St. Francis of Assisi actually used live animals and people in his presepio.

In Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, mummers or belsnickers go from house to house on Christmas Eve.  These people are groups of rowdy carollers who are in masks or costumes.  They sing or dance, play instruments and generally act up until the neighbours guess who they are.  At that time the costumes come off and they become normal visitors.

In our family it is our custom to enjoy a light supper, usually soup and sandwiches, before heading off to church to watch the children’s presentation of the Christmas story.

After church we usually head home to bed so that we may enjoy Christmas day to the fullest.

“Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” …. Isaiah 9:6

Hart Dowd

hmdowd@telus.net