Herald Community
THIS IS the most universally shared downtime we experience in our country and throughout our continent. We all take time off during the year, especially during the summer, but the days around Christ mas and New Year’s are special to many of us ― including me.December 26, 2011 – 12:12pm BY ED MCHUGH | BUZZ FROM THE ’BURBS
For the past few years, this column has featured stories from readers who have shared a favourite Christmas memory. My tradition is for those peo ple to tell the stories in their own words: From Laurie: “This happened about 10 years ago.
Capt. Joe Gallagher, then living in Bedford, was piloting an Air Canada international flight home from London, England, on Christmas Eve. With the time change, he would be in the sky the same time as Santa.
“About an hour off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, he spot ted Santa and his sleigh!
“This prompted him to send a mess age to all the kids on Campbell Drive in Bedford, including my son Erik, that Santa was airborne and headed for Nova Scotia. I will never forget the look on my son’s face when he heard the news and his excitement to get to bed right away before Santa arrived. It was a great gift Joe provided all of the families on the street that night!”
From Frances: “We were living in Germany and weren’t going to get to Halifax for Christmas. We decided to join a group of teachers at the Canadian schools in Europe and travel to southern Spain, take a tour of Morocco and return to Spain on Christmas Eve.
“So many signed up for the trip that the teacher managing it said to simply arrive at the campground and they would arrange the tour when they knew who was coming. More than 200 people, including teachers, their fam ilies and other Canadians, decided to join the trip. He then contacted the campground ahead of time.
“The number was not the usual 60 per cent but more than 100 per cent! There were four tour buses from Mo rocco, and we all had a wonderful time. “Before we left the campground for Morocco, someone went around deter mining who was going to be there onChristmas Day. Many Canadians were immediately leaving for their current European home for Christmas Day as Europe is so small. But about 30 fam ilies would still be in Spain for Christ mas Day.
“We asked the female campground manager where we could go for dinner on the 25th.
“She said all of the local restaurants would be closed but she arranged for one to have us all for dinner.
“The restaurant owner and family celebrated Christmas with us at the same time.
“We got to choose from a selection of dinners, none of which were our tradi tion. Most chose an awesome paella, which was beautiful to behold and delicious.
“We hugged, sang Christmas carols, traded jokes and talked about Christ mas days at home.
“Being teachers, someone had a guitar. The Spanish family sharingtheir restaurant was interested in our festivities and claimed we improved their celebration.
“It was the most unique Christmas we’ve spent and gets relived every year. Our daughter was 12 at the time and she’s now 43. She remembers the Mo roccan tour guide telling her that many Moroccan girls living in the rural coun tryside got married at her age. The father of the bride usually received a gift of camels or sheep in exchange for the daughter. He told her that her fa ther could get a camel and some sheep for her!” In conclusion, my friend Frances said, “Memories are the most beautiful thing that Christmas gives to us.”
Well said!
Enjoy this wonderful time of year.
Bedford resident and volunteer Ed McHugh teaches business at several post-secondary institutions.
About the AuthorBy ED McHUGH | BUZZ FROM THE ’BURBS
