Quesnel Cariboo Observer, December 25, 2013

s a m t s i r h C y r r e M A NELSON CHRISTMAS PAGE A4

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

AN INTERNATIONAL HOLIDAY PAGE A5

Lest We

Forget

VOL. 100 NO. 33

Merry mas Christ

CHRISTMAS IN NAZKO PAGE A14

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Top clockwise: Lakeview students play the drums, a Carson student waves to a loved one, a Voyageur student points to her mom, Carson kindergarten students perform mittens, a Voyageur student plays the ukulele. The Observer thanks SD28 for allowing them to attend their amazing holiday celebrations.

Autumn MacDonald photos

Good day, Quesnel.

Thanks for reading — and that includes loyal subscriber Jane Smith!

To join the Observer family, please call 250-992-2121 and ask for circulation.

Our office will be closing early Tuesday, Dec. 24 at NOON

CLOSED

Wednesday, Dec. 25 Thursday, Dec. 26 We will reopen on Friday, Dec. 27

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013 Quesnel Cariboo Observer

CHRISTMAS CONCERTS – VOYAGEUR

Call Welcome Wagon if you’re: •New-to-town •New moms Sheila 250-747-2577 email: info@welcomewagon.ca Internet: www.welcomewagon.ca

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First 50 people with purchase of $499 or more get a $50 gift card

Quesnel Cariboo Observer

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

CHRISTMAS STORIES

exchange, Christmas Eve would be boring!

Story 2: (2 years ago-- gift exchange) 2 years ago, I bought a snuggie blanket, the movie Elf, and hot chocolate for the exchange (my number was 10) and I opened my own gift. Then it got taken from me, so I opened BIG gift and it was a turkey in a turkey roaster! That luckily got taken too, and I took my gift back because I LOVED it so much!! I made sure I kept it. When I went home that night with my snuggie, I slept all night in it.

–Ciera Pettyjohn Carson Elementary Grade 6

Wednesday

Snow High: 2° Low: 1°

Thursday

Chance of Rain High: 9° Low: 4°

Friday

Gifts for Kids This year our Gifts for Kids Campaign was a huge success and Remax is proud to be apart of a community that is so supportive of the local Salvation Army. With the help of local families and businesses, the staff of Remax was able to collect a host of tosys ot make this Christmas a happyone for the children of Quesnel.

Christmas Story

Contributed photo

What Happened in my Christmas Years

Chance of Rain High: 6° Low: 2°

Saturday

Chance of Snow High: 3° Low: -1°

Flyers This issue may contain these flyers: • Sears • WalMart • Michael’s • Jysk Linen • The Source • Canadian Tire • Andres Audiotronic

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My favourite Christmas song is Jingle bells. On every Christmas Eve I always get Pjs or a movie.

And every time I wake up on Christmas day, we open our stockings and our presents, then we go to our grandma's house and have breakfast and then we open our Christmas presents, then we go to other relatives for Christmas. Christmas is my favourite holiday. On Christmas Eve we have dinner at my grandma's.

When we are done eating we have dessert. I love decorating the tree and setting it up. It's fun. This year my Christmas present from my mom is going to California. I am really excited. And my favourite thing about Christmas is that we don't have to go to school for three weeks or something like that.

My favourite drink on Christmas is Eggnog. It's delicious. And I love trying to figure out what the presents are. My last year's presents were a guitar,

video games, hunting clothes, remote control car, and a movie. My favourite movie about Christmas is “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”.

–Owen Crossman Grade 6 Carson Elementary

Christmas at Opa's I think about three years ago we went to my opa's house. He had the whole family over at his house.

My dad and I went for a walk on the ice, because my opa lives by a lake.

As we were on that walk, we saw someone making an ice rink. It was cool.

Then we went back. When we got back, I got hot chocolate. My mom just got back from shopping.

We had the best Christmas ever because we played Secret Santa. My cousin Matt wanted soapflavoured gum. Matt let me have a piece of it. It was the grossest thing ever! I got some nail polish that looked like suckers from my other cousin. I also got make-up that looked like an iPod and lip gloss from the same cousin. I had pjs

that glowed in the dark; it scared all my cousins and my two older sisters. It was funny to me!! My opa has a big bedroom that is not touching the house he lives in. It has three or four bunk beds and one queen sized be. My sister Rebecca always gets the big bed because she is the oldest. She was 17 at the time; now she is twenty. I would have been 8, I think.

I am happy I got to see my family; I don't get to see them that much.

This Christmas, I want to wake up at 12:00 am, then stay up all night. I am going to play on my tablet and eat candy. I will be the first one awake in the house.

–Gracie-Lynn Campbell Grade 6 Carson Elementary

My Family Gift Exchange

Hi, I'm Ciera and I'm going to tell you the story of my family's gift exchange! Rules: everyone who wants to play the game has to buy a gift (the limit is usually $30); everyone wraps a gift and

puts it on my grandpa's coffee table. Now, one person counts all the people at my grandpa's house, then writes numbers from 1-however many people are there that dark night, and puts them in a hat; now, we draw numbers out of the black hat; next, the person with the paper number 1 goes, they unwrap a present, now player number 2 goes, and he/she can either unwrap a gift or, if they really want player number 1's gift, they can take it! Player 1 will unwrap another gift, the game goes until every person ends up with a gift.

Ok back to the story: It was my first year playing the gift game (I was about four) and I opened a fuzzy blanket and I loved it, but my grandma Flo stole it!

I opened another gift and that luckily got stolen, and I took my blanket back, that went on the whole time, my grandma Flo takes it, and I take it back; in the end, I won it. Today, my blanket is in my grandma's car (not my grandma Flo's car). If I didn't do the gift

These are the winters and Christmases I can remember and explain: Last year, it was winter and I was skiing; I hit a jump and nearly broke my skis. But a few years ago, I was also skiing and I was going up the lift when a rock hit me.

I fell off the lift and my ski punctured my eyelid; it really hurt! When I was 9, I went to Maui, Hawaii for Christmas and New Years. On that Christmas, I got an iPod touch and half the time, I was playing games on it.

In Maui, it was really hot, and we were staying near the ocean, but the water was always contaminated, so nobody could swim in the ocean. I swam in the pool most of the time.

There were wild lizards; they were harmless, so I caught one and it bit me!

It didn't hurt or puncture my skin, but it did scare me. Last Christmas, I got an iPhone 5. I use it a lot, mostly by playing games, but having it as a phone and not just a device to play games on is great. I cannot think of any more interesting Christmases that I remember of, so I will end it here.

–Brett Carson Elementary Grade 7

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013 Quesnel Cariboo Observer

MERRYCHRISTMAS

A Nelson Christmas memory

H

ello everyone! Are you all ready for Christmas and the holidays? I’m not, but once I get this article done I’ll have some of it off of my chest.

Our first Christmas in the Cariboo was in 1951 – seems like a century ago but it is still very real in my mind.

We had arrived in Quesnel earlier that year, to a very snowy, cold and I thought, downright miserable, Sept. 26. The next morning my dad drove us out to our homestead at the foot of Dragon Mountain.

I was not impressed!

It seemed to be very isolated, lonely and brrrrr cold! I must say that it had nothing going for it at all. The whole place seemed hopeless, but my mother, always optimistic, said, “Come on. Let’s get some food on the go, and then we can have a look around.”

The prospector or squatter who had been living there took one look at all us kids, grabbed his few things and was gone out of there like a shot. I never did see him properly.

Like the prospector, but for different rea-

sons, the one thought that was in my head was that I was out of there on the first bus, as soon as I could raise the fare. Like I said, the place had nothing going for it, and I mean nothing! Even the shack (ooops, cabin)we were moving into had nothing going for it, so it fit right in with everything else.

Then the big question was: where would we all sleep?

Since there was no place else, we each picked out a place on the floor, and as it turned out, we ended up sharing it with a family of mice. In the middle of the night we awoke to them running all over us, even over our faces!

Soon everyone was awake, jabbering about the mice, and very noisily comparing notes.

The next night my two brothers and I (being the eldest kids in the family) moved into a little lean-to shed that was not much better. It had a large 45-gallon barrel heater in it, a dirt floor and no windows. About a quarter of the shed had been blocked off for a chicken house, and, I’m not too sure whether the chickens

or we had the better digs. You are probably wondering why I am so rude about the Dragon Mountain estate but actually I am being quite polite and that is an understatement! That night, as soon as the fire died out, our blankets and sleeping bags froze into the muddy floor.

Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that the roof leaked! So next day our dad had us shovel the snow off of the roof and put down tarps or canvasses and then we shovelled snow back on. A minor improvement!

Back “home” where the cabin was, we would go and collect and cut up trees for firewood, as much as we needed for the night. There was quite a cache of cut wood left there by the previous resident, but my father said it had to be saved for a really cold night. I don’t know what he considered a really cold night, as we had already experienced 60 degrees below zero, Fahrenheit!

As December neared we started talking about Santa and presents, and wondered if he would be able to find us, way out her in the wilderness. But our mother

assured us that he knew where we were.

In fact, she got out her old trunk where she kept all of her treasures. She showed us the tinsel and red and green tree ropes and decorations that she had in that trunk secreted under her bed and reassured us that Santa would be there on Dec. 25.

As Christmas got nearer, my dad got us a wee tree, stood it up in a paint pail and the Christmas season and festivities were on.

We used the decorations from the trunk – adorned the tree, and everything else in the cabin... heck with the size of that tree we could have decorated more than 10 trees.

Keep remembering, Jack, doing without makes you a better person – and so we still had the daily routine of getting out in the fresh air, hauling into the shacks our pails of water, and coming home to cut up logs for the cook-stove. We figured we had to, or no Christmas gifts, at least from Santa!

But, lo and behold Christmas morning all was well. Everyone was happy – yes, very happy! Everyone was throwing another log on the fire. And,

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Quesnel City Council wishes you peace this holiday season and a New Year filled with joy and prosperity.

Councillors Coleman and Elliott, Mayor Mary Sjostrom, Councillors Roodenburg, Brisco, and Cave (missing is Councillor Thapar).

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you know we didn’t even care! When we had to stand out in the arm-deep snow to beat the whipped cream---we didn’t even complain. We laughed until we were crying, sang all our seasonal songs and carols to dad’s guitar playing and wished all a Merry Christmas – just as we do now for all of you.

So a Merry Christmas to all of you, and, as Tiny Tim said, “a very Merry Christmas and may God Bless Us, Everyone!”

– Jack Nelson

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS

An international Christmas M

y name is Eric and I live in Toronto, Canada. My favourite time of the year is Christmas and it is tomorrow!

The sparkling fluffy snow is gently resting on the ground.

My mother brings out the cinnamon scented candles that mix with the scent of our pine Christmas tree which stands in the middle of our living room glowing with its golden tinsel and flashing lights. I love Christmas!

My name is Jamila. I live in Ghana, Africa and my family celebrates Christmas with a huge community dinner with all the people in the village.

We eat delicious fufu and okra soup, and other families bring all sorts of desserts and cakes.

After our tasty dinner, my family and I walk around the village and look at the different decorations on every hut. Some have Christmas trees outside with home-made decorations the children made out of rocks and twigs. My family is one of the poorer families so we don’t get new toys, but we still get very specials gifts.

Every year I get a different new soap with a new scent

that always puts a smile on my face. We may not have as much as some other families do, but everyone is always smiling on Christmas.

My name is Aabharan and I live in Bombay, India. It is one of the biggest cities in all of India! It is around Christmas time here, but it sure doesn’t feel like it. It never does. My family are Christians and there are not very many of us in India. Tonight is the Midnight Mass.

My favourite Christmas activity. Hundreds, no, thousands of families walk to the mass, and then we all have a glorious feast with all sorts of curries. (which are my favourite) After, we all give out beautifully wrapped gifts with big bows and ribbon!

Nothing beats how beautiful the churches look, poinsettia flowers resting on the steps and candles flickering in the darkness, Don’t forget about the beautifully decorated mango tree that sits outside the church with decorations that families all across Bombay created and donated. Christmas is India is the best!

My name is Saamik and I live in the villages of the Polar

Inuits in Greenland. Christmas was today and was it ever awesome! It was chilly!

Minus sixty-five today.Good thing I got a new parka made with real rabbit fur. It is so soft! My family and I walked over to my grandparents hut for coffee and cake. I wore my special anorak for dinner and all the other boys were wearing them too.

We also got a tree from Denmark last week! We can’t grow trees here so we get them imported, ours was the best one in the village. We decorated it with all sorts of flashing, sparkling decorations. Christmas in my village is magical.

Eric, Jamila, Aabharan, and Saamik are children just like you who celebrate their own christmas’ in their own communities, all with different traditions.

Even though Christmas is celebrated in different ways around the world, Christmas is special no matter where you may be or who you may be with.

How do you celebrate Christmas?

–Jordyn Gronskei Grade 12

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C ommunity C alendar SPECIAL EVENTS & MEETINGS ETC...

MONDAY

ANGER MANAGEMENT CLASSES are back for a short period of time at no cost to you. Classes will run for the month of Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb and March.

Classes are held in the evenings from 6:30 to 8:30 Monday – Thursday over a twoweek period. Depending on numbers the classes will be held for either females or males only, no mixed

The Quesnel Church

But the hour comes and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. God is a spirit and they must worship him in spirit and in truth. Please join us.

Call 747-3178.

Ask for Kim.

groups. To register, call Victim Services at 250-992-3380.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY YARN CLUB meets the second and fourth Thursday afternoons, 1 – 3 p.m. in library activity room. New members welcome.

For information call Amanda, 250-7472558 or Martha, 250747-1606.

TUESDAY LEGION NEW YEARS EVE DANCE Dec. 31, doors open at 7 p.m., dance at 8 p.m., music by The Wranglers. Appetizers and party favours.

Tickets $25 each.

SATURDAY QUESNEL LIONS SPECIAL GARAGE SALES for Christmas at Maple Park Mall,

Dec. 21, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Hot dogs available.

HOLIDAY BABYSITTING at QUESNEL TECHNICS GYMNASTICS CLUB for children aged 3 and up, Dec. 21, 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.; Dec. 22, 4 – 7 p.m.This is a fundraiser for the club and cost is by donation. If the child isn't a current member of the club, parents just have to sign a waiver before they leave.

QUESNEL ART GALLERY PRESENTS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SHOW AND SALE featuring unique, original artwork by Gallery members and runs through November and December, Tuesday to Saturday, 1 – 4

p.m.

SUNDAY GOOD CHEER now open in Maple Park Mall (former Zellers location) Note new number, 250-255-3240. Mon. – Sat. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Hampers will be ready for recipients, Dec. 21 – 22 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

R E F O R M AT I O N HOUSE Christmas lunch and Super Kids Musical. Sunday Dec. 22 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at 213 St. Laurent Avenue. (Joyful Expressions).

CSS MUSIC DEPARTMENT WINTER CONCERT, Dec. 18, 7 – 9 p.m. all musical groups to perform.

ONGOING EVENTS

or Pete at 250-9910058.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY YARN CLUB meets the second and fourth Thursday afternoons, 1 – 3 p.m. in library activity room. New members welcome.

For information call Amanda, 250-7472558 or Martha, 250747-1606.

YOUTH CENTRE open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Rock climbing hours 6:30 – 8 p.m. For bookings call 250983-6920 to check availability. Special events planned for Dec. 2 and 16; adults $5, kids $2. Lots of other activities at the centre as well.

CARING FOR SOMEONE WITH ALZHEIMER'S OR DEMINTIA? The Alzheimer's Society of B.C. hosts a dementia caregivers group meeting every third Tuesday of the month at the G.R. Baker Memorial Hospital upper board room from 1 – 3 p.m. For more info call Leanne at 1-866-564-7533

SCRABBLE at the Quesnel Seniors Centre, Thursdays 1 p.m., for information contact Jean 250-9925051.

PEER DEVELOPMENT QUESNEL offers free peer-facilitated programming for adults with a mental illness and/or addiction. Groups current-

ly run every Tuesday from 10am to 12pm in the large group room of the Westside Mental Health & Addictions Centre (395 Elliot St.). For more information please call (250) 985-5832 or email us at QUEpeerdev@northernhealth.ca.

BILLY BARKER DAYS SOCIETY meets the third Thursday of every month, room N212, CNC Quesnel campus at 5:30 p.m.

Meetings and Special Events, Workshops, Signups and Non-profit Groups will run in the Sunday or Wednesday edition. The deadline for the Wednesday Observer is Monday at noon, and the deadline for the weekend edition is Wednesday at 5 pm. All meeting notices and regular submissions to Community Calendar must be renewed every three months. Due to the volume of material, we clear the column every three months and only print newly submitted material.

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013 Quesnel Cariboo Observer

OPINIONS

Argument has holes

I

t’s difficult to know what problem the provincial government is possibly trying to fix.

John Yap, who is reviewing B.C.’s liquor laws, is recommending that government allow grocery stores to sell alcohol.

“British Columbians lead busy lives and my final report makes several recommendations that will bring greater convenience to citizens,” Yap said.

How time consuming is it actually to get a case of beer or bottle of wine? In Quesnel, alone, there are liquor stores in every area of town: West Side, two downtown, two in South Hills, and a large liquor store on Reid.

Heck, there’s even delivery if you don’t want to leave the comfort of your home.

Many of these outlets are right next to grocery stores, so the argument can be made that the convenience is already there. What Yap needs to realize is that when government expanded liquor sales beyond just government outlets years ago, business people took a risk and made significant investments in their operations.

They not only employ local residents, but they support community endeavours and pump millions upon millions of dollars into provincial coffers for health care, education and other programs.

By adding retail grocery into the mix, the revenue stream for private and government stores will be undermined. Of course one can make the argument that this is how the free-enterprise system works and some private liquor store owners will benefit by selling their licenses to grocery retailers (there’s a cap on the total outlets allowed). Increased competition could also lower consumer prices.

But if Yap is pushing for a change in rules based simply on increased convenience, one has to wonder when he last went out and bought wine.

–Autumn MacDonald, Observer

Here’s the big idea of 2013

O

ne of Canada’s great entrepreneurial success stories in recent years is WestJet, the Calgary-based airline that is expanding across the country and taking on European routes.

Clive Beddoe, the founding CEO of Westjet, was famous for helping the cabin crew tidy up the plane before getting off a flight.

And the company is also known for its profit-sharing program, with all employees referred to as “owners” who have a stake in the success of the operation.

I thought of this management approach when news emerged that the B.C. government was offering public service unions a new kind of contract, with a five-year term and wage increases tied to improved economic growth.

The surprising thing is that unions are accepting the idea, even though provincial growth must exceed the government’s independent economic forecast council projections before it can take effect in a given year.

The generally non-militant Health Sciences Association was the first to recommend

Tom Fletcher

B.C. Views acceptance of a five-year agreement with only 5.5 per cent raises guaranteed.

Then they were joined by negotiators for 51,000 health and social services employees, represented by the B.C. Government Employees’ Union and other unions that have long been adversaries of the B.C. Liberals.

John Fryer, negotiator for the BCGEU going back to the epic battles with Social Credit governments and now a professor at University of Victoria, wasn’t impressed when he heard the news.

“These deals reflect what happens when public sector unions back the losing party in a provincial election,” he said. “Union bargaining power takes a trip down the pooper.”

I think there’s more than that going on. Perhaps

relations development with what’s happening on the federal scene. A classic confrontation is brewing between the Harper government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

A key dispute is over sick days, which the government estimates are averaging 18 a year. PSAC currently has 15 “bankable” sick days a year, which the union president refers to as a “negotiated right.”

It takes me back to my first union job, where I was warned never to take just one sick day.

We negotiated for two at a time, so always take two, the union rep told me. Implicit in this is the mindset that employees should give as little and take as much as possible.

Looking through my files each December for the B.C. story of the year, I consider what is likely to matter five or 10 years from now.

This partnership approach to building the provincial economy is my pick for 2013.

Tom Fletcher is legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press.

Twitter: @tomfletcherbc Email: tfletcher@blackpress. ca

BCYCNA

Your award winning community newspaper published Sunday & Wednesday The Quesnel Cariboo Observer was founded in August 1908. All material contained in this publication is protected by copyright. Reproduction of contents, either in whole or part are not permitted without prior consent. Publications Mail Registration No. 1001572. Member of BCYCNA - British Columbia and Yukon Community Newspaper Association, CCNA - Canadian Community Newspaper Association & the BC Press Council. Published at 188 Carson Ave., Quesnel, B.C. V2J 2A8. Phone 250-992-2121. Fax: 250-992-5229 email: advertising@quesnelobserver.com newsroom@quesnelobserver.com Website:www.quesnelobserver.com Quesnel Cariboo Observer is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province's newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2. For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org

today’s union leadership is beginning to accept that its wage, benefit and pension arrangements look pretty good compared to the harsh reality of private businesses competing in a global economy.

I asked Premier Christy Clark if this new approach is inspired by private-sector profit sharing. She agreed that is the model.

“I think that’s a great principle for all of us to work from,” Clark said.

“Until now, the growth of public sector wages has been completely insulated from changes in the private sector. And this is the first time we’ve ever been able to successfully link those two things.

“At this point it’s still a small increment wage growth, but it’s a big change, and I hope we can continue to build on it.”

From an employee perspective, it is indeed modest.

If real gross domestic product increases one per cent beyond the independent forecast used in the provincial budget, employees get an additional half of one per cent raise for that year.

Contrast this labour

2008 WINNER

Tracey Roberts Publisher/Adv. Mgr.

Autumn MacDonald Editor

Lorrie Milsom Production Mgr.

Advertising Consultants: Karen Powell Ad Designer: Dennison Gaetz Editorial Staff: Annie Gallant - Assistant Editor, Shannon Stever - Reporter

Jennifer Jonas Gagnon - Sports Reporter Circulation Mgr. Front Office: Trina Wiebe

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

FEEDBACK

Generous Girl Guides The Dragon Lake Girl Guides decided not to have a gift exchange, but to donate the gifts to Good Cheer. The girls each chose an item that they would like to receive, then donated it. When making their donations, the girls were given a tour and told how Good Cheer helps those who need help at Christmas time.

Contributed photo

Christmas around the world Part II

C

hristians in China celebrate by lighting their houses with beautiful paper lanterns and decorating their Christmas trees, “Trees of Light,” with paper chains, paper flowers, and paper lanterns.

Children hang muslin stockings and await a visit from Santa Claus, whom they call Dun Che Lao Ren which means “Christmas Old Man.” Since the vast majority of the Chinese people are not Christian, the main winter festival in China is the Chinese New Year, which is near the end of January. Now officially called the “Spring Festival,” it is a time when children receive new clothing, eat fancy meals, receive new toys, and enjoy fireworks displays.

An important aspect of the New Year celebration is the worship of ancestors.

Portraits and paintings of ancestors are brought out and hung in the main

Letters to the Editor

room of the home.

The celebration lasts for 15 days and it is a very colorful celebration.

Before the celebration begins, Chinese families clean their houses to get rid of all the bad luck.

Firecrackers are also part of the Chinese New Year.

The noise from firecrackers scares away the evil spirits.

Decorations and new clothes are red because red brings joy.

People give red envelopes, with money inside, and colorful foods, like tangerines, as gifts.

Two of the fruit are given because odd numbers unlucky.

The Lantern Festival is on the last day of the celebration. Brightly colored lanterns and a dragon dance are part of this festival. Sometimes the dragons are 100 feet long! Gung Hay Fat Choy or Happy New Year!

The Christian tradition in Romania is for children to travel from house

to house singing carols and reciting poetry and legends throughout the Christmas season.

The leader carries a large wooden star called a steaua, which is covered with shiny paper and decorated with bells and colored ribbon.

A picture of the Holy Family is pasted in the star’s center, and the entire creation is attached to a broomstick or pole.

On Christmas Eve fir trees are decorated.

Unlike many Americans, Romanians do not open gifts on Christmas morning. Instead, gift exchanges take place on Christmas Eve. Children in Romania put their shoes out so Father Christmas can fill them with small presents.

Dec. 20, tradition calls for the butchering of a pig.

The pig is then washed, singed and given a “funeral” to which friends and family are invited to share the meat. This is in celebration of St. Ignatius.

Also celebrated at this time of year are the nonChristian holidays of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.

Kwanzaa is an AfricanAmerican holida, celebrating the people and their past.

It begins Dec. 26 and lasts until Jan. 1.

Kwanzaa is a Swahili word meaning “first fruits.” Kwanzaa is a time for people to welcome each other into their homes, and a time to study Africa and the history of AfricanAmericans.

A placemat woven from red, green, and black paper or cloth is used during Kwanzaa. These are also the colors of the bendera, a flag made for African-Americans. he candles in the kinara or candle holder are three colors, too. A black candle is in the center, with three red candles on the left and three green candles on the right.

A feast, or Karamu, is held Dec. 31. Fruit salad, made with fruits

from Africa (kiwi fruit, bananas, and pineapple) is served. Everyone brings some food to share, no matter how little.

Everyone is welcome.

Gifts are given between parents and children.

People who share special feelings about each other also give gifts.

The gifts do not cost a lot of money and are often made by hand.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, and may occur from late November to late December on the Gregorian calendar.

This year it began Nov. 27 and ended Dec, 6.

Children traditionally receive gifts and money at Hanukkah.

The festival is observed by the lighting of candles on a special candelabrum, the Menorah, one light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. An extra light called a shamash, (Hebrew: “guard” or “servant”) is also lit each night, and is given a distinct location, usually higher or lower than the others.

It is a reminder that Hanukkah lights are only for publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah story. The shamash is also used to light the other lights each night.

This article is one in a series produced by Pat Colbourne under the Welcoming Communities Action Plan, funded

by Welcome BC with sponsorship by the Rush radio station and the Quesnel Cariboo Observer. For more information about this project, contact New Focus Society at 250-9923119.

Letters and emails must include full name and contact phone number and should be 250 words or less. The editor reserves the right to edit submissions for clairity, brevity and legality.

Letters to the Editor, Quesnel Cariboo Observer, 188 Carson Ave. Quesnel, BC V2J 2A8 email: newsroom@quesnelobserver.com Ph: 250-992-2121 Fax: 250-992-5229 Quesnel Cariboo Observer is a member of the British Columbia Press Council, a self-regulatory body governing the province’s newspaper industry. The council considers complaints from the public about the conduct of member newspapers. Directors oversee the mediation of complaints, with input from both the newspaper and the complaint holder. If talking with the editor or publisher does not resolve your complaint about coverage or story treatment, you may contact the B.C. Press Council. Your written concern, with documentation, should be sent to B.C. Press Council, 201 Selby St., Nanaimo, B.C. V9R 2R2.

For information, phone 888-687-2213 or go to www.bcpresscouncil.org

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A8 www.quesnelobserver.com Wednesday, December 25, 2013 Quesnel Cariboo Observer

Quesnel Cariboo Observer

www.quesnelobserver.com A9

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

CHRISTMAS CONCERTS – LAKEVIEW

Q-City Page A feature highlighting meetings, proposals and events important to Quesnel residents.

RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE PICKUP changes during the holiday season

Please note the changes for residential garbage pickup during the holiday season from Tuesday, December 24 to Wednesday, January 1 as follows: regular Tuesday pickup will be on Monday, December 23 and Monday, December 30 regular Wednesday pickup will be on Tuesday, December 24 and Tuesday, December 31 regular Thursday pickup will be on Friday, December 27 and will remain on Thursday, January 2 regular Friday pickup will be on Saturday, December 28 and will remain on Friday, January 3.

Commercial Pickup

Commercial Garbage collection will have an extra truck running December 24, 27, and 31 to make up for any missed garbage during the holidays.

City Landfill

Transfer Depot will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. through the holiday season however the landfill gates will be closed on Wednesday, December 25 as well as Wednesday, January 1, due to the statutory holidays.

We appreciate your co-operation and wish all Quesnel and area residents a safe and happy holiday season. If you have any questions, please contact Public Works at 250-992-6330 during regular office hours.

PUBLIC SAFETY NOTICE during the winter season With winter in full force, the Public Works Department is asking residents to wear bright, reflective clothing at all times, especially during heavy snowfall. Visibility for our snow removal operators is extremely poor at these times.

If you have any questions, please contact Public Works at 250-992-6330 during regular office hours.

City Hall - 410 Kinchant Street, Quesnel, BC, V2J 7J5 T - 250-992-2111 W - www.quesnel.ca Hours of operation are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday (except Statutory Holidays)

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A10 www.quesnelobserver.com Do you have a story?

Contact Annie at Ph: 992-2121 Fax: 992-5229 annie@ quesnelobserver.com

Wednesday, December 25, 2013 Quesnel Cariboo Observer

THE JOY OF

CHRISTMAS

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Call 1-855-678-7833 today for more details.

Annie Gallant Lifestyles Editor

Quesnel Cariboo Observer

www.quesnelobserver.com A11

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

CHRISTMAS STORIES A Normal Christmas with a Twist!

It was Christmas Eve and it would soon be getting dark.

My family and I were on our way to my grandparent's house.

Every year we go there for a Christmas party with family friends and the pets.

It is really fun at the party. When I was 6 years old, my sister Hayley and our 2 friends (I forget their names) were playing downstairs with Lego until my uncle called us up. When we went up, he was sitting in the computer lab on a site to watch Santa to see where he was and how long he was there for. So every 10 or so minutes, we would run up and try looking for Santa on the website. We didn't know what it was called, so we called it Santa Tracker! I also remember I was sitting in the box and they were sitting on it and then they left to see the Santa thing and left me in the box! After they got me out, we played with Lego a little longer. My mom came downstairs and said it was dinner time.

We all ran upstairs and the things I like the most about my grandparents, they always say, “kids first, grownups last”, so we would always get dinner first. After the great meal, we all sat down and watched a movie. When I was 6, we watched “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”.

When I saw that for the 1st time, I cried because he was scary to me. The party goes until midnight but we only stay till 9:30 then we go home.

When we leave, we have lots of presents from my grandma and grandpa. At least every year we get 2 bins full.

Anyways, when we get home, we all put the presents we got under the tree, then we watch one last movie then we usually go to sleep. PS I can NEVER sleep! Just like every little boy and girl, they want to know what they got for Christmas.

When my sister and I wake up we run to our stockings and see what is in them.

After opening our stockings, we wait for my parents to wake up, then open all the gifts! Even though it was a cold walk to my grandparents', it was a great Christmas Eve! Can't wait till the party this year!

–Angel Preston Carson Elementary Grade 7

Winter with my Friends & Family Hi, my name is Emily and today I'm going to tell you about my winter/ Christmas with my friends and family.

We all go to our secret sledding hill, down the street from our houses.

We build snow forts in all our front and back yards, to have a snowball fight around the neighbourhood.

Every Christmas, my family gets together.

My dad's side of the family does a thing where you get a name and you buy something for them, then on Boxing Day we all get together and open the presents.

We go to my papa's house for Christmas Eve; we play games and get presents. On Christmas, my mom, dad, brother and I open presents with my uncle. I remember the last time, my

cousins Mike and Michelle came with their two kids Tyson and Lily. I think that Tyson and Max slept in a closet, Lily slept in her playpen and I slept in my old loft bed. I always stay up late on Christmas Eve. I love Christmas because you get to spend time with your family. I never want a lot of Christmas gifts because the perfect one is my supportive family!

–Emily Bronswyk Carson Elementary Grade 6

Hard Christmas Cookies Hi. My name is Heera. This is my short story about my mom's hard Christmas cookies. I remember my mom was baking these cookies and had so much trouble making them. And I had a loose tooth that just wouldn't come out.

My mom took such a long time making the cookies and I thought, “by the time she's done, I'll lose all of my teeth!” Anyways, my mom put an 'H' on one of the cookies for my name Heera.

I forget what the other cookies had on them. We were making the cookies for Santa Claus. But I was allowed to eat some. I was hoping my tooth would fall out for Christmas.

Dave and Rosie Wall Buck Ridge Farm and Gardens 6952 West Fraser Rd Quesnel, BC email: wall@goldcity.net Member since: August 1, 2013 What products are you branding?

We are branding fresh produce (not certified organic, yet grown organically or using IPM management), free run eggs, pasture raised chickens, grass FINISHED beef (not grass FED beef as grass fed producers can legally finish their animals with 2 pounds or less of grain a day) and beef value added products, eg: jerky, pepperoni, sausage and smokies. All our sausages are gluten, lactose and nitrate free. We are trying to reach the gluten free and GMO free people.

Why are you branding these products?

We are trying to reach farmers market people, farm gate, retail (Good for You Market) and eventually restaurants. I would eventually like to have a stand or store at my place for Farm Gate sales.

Why are you using the brand?

We are using it to advertise, and support local agriculture and to offer an alternative to those people wanting to eat a healthier diet than what is currently available to them. Healthier Families make for a Healthier Economy!

The North Cariboo Farm Country - Grown for You” brand is owned exclusively by FARMED For more information go to www.farmed.ca or email us at info.grownforyou@gmail.com

That would be a good Christmas present.

I tried to twist my tooth, pull on it, but nothing I did worked.

My dad always joked that he would tie a string to my tooth and tie the string to the door and slam the door very hard so my tooth would fall out. We always joked that the Tooth Fairy was a boy and called him the Tooth Hairy.

When my mom was finally done making the cookies, I was the first to try one.

But the cookies were so hard my tooth fell out! So I did get what I wanted for Christmas! That was one of my favourite Christmases.

–Heera Panasar Carson Elementary Grade 6

My Christmas Story Every year, my mom and I go to my Auntie Darlene's house on Christmas Eve (but in the day time) to open our gifts. Then we visit my mom's friends like my Auntie Anita. Later in the day, I always go to my Nana and Papa's house to have dinner with my family but on the Kirkham side (which is on my dad's side). Sometimes, we open our gifts after dinner, then we put on some Christmas tunes and start singing and that

would be me, but I'm usually alone.

Hopefully, my cousin Kayle won't make me a whole thing of toffiffee. Kayle likes to joke around a lot.

So, last year he made me eat a whole box of toffiffee; he said, and I quote, “if you eat all the toffiffee I'll give you $25” and of course, I did. When I finished, I asked him for my money and he gave me 25 cents. I was so mad at him.

This year, it's going to be a little different.

I'm going to my dad's house on boxing day and visit my dad, my step-mom, Becky, my little brother Nathan, my gran val, last but not least, my papa Tom. The next day, we are going to open our gifts, the reason why we are opening them on the next day is because he lives in Salmon Arm, which is 6 hours away from here but with all the ice it's going to take a longer amount of time, because nobody wants to get in a car crash; that would suck. But the one thing that I've learned through this past year, is that Christmas isn't all about the presents, it's about the thought and spending time with your family and making more memories.

–Paul-Leana Tresierra Carson Elementary Grade 7

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We celebrate many birthdays in December. One that gets overlooked is Louis Pasteur, born on December 27 1822. He was a French bacteriologist who created a process for sterilizing milk to kill pathogens that could cause disease. He also developed a preventive inoculation against rabies. This early work on immunization has saved millions of lives throughout the generations.

The human liver is a wonderful organ. It is the only organ that has acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, the enzyme that breaks down alcohol. It does this job well at the rate of one standard drink per hour. Just a reminder, a standard drink is 12 oz of beer, 5 oz of wine or 1.5 oz of spirits.

Had your flu shot yet? It’s not too late. Have your children inoculated too.

Remember, you can’t catch the flu from the flu shot. The more people who get the flu shot, the less the virus will be spread.

Coconut water has gotten much publicity lately. It is made from the clear water inside the coconut, not the coconut flesh from which we get coconut milk. Coconut water does contain some potassium (about 200mg per 100ml), is low in sodium and calories and contains primarily water which keeps you hydrated.

All the staff of our pharmacy send our best wishes to you all for a happy, healthy and safe holiday season.

Pharmacy Hours: Mon. - Fri. - 8am - 8pm Sat. Sun. Holidays 10am - 6pm

FREE Blood Pressure Check

445 Reid St.

Everyday at our Pharmacy

250-992-6898

Connecting Our Community Tis the season that those of who can tend to over indulge in food, drinks and of course, shopping for the perfect gift. I am sure that many of us get caught up in the materialistic side of Christmas; we do this because giving makes us feel good.

One definition of the word gift is ‘something that is bestowed voluntarily and without compensation’. A gift can be of someone’s talent or time, not just something purchased with money.

A true gift comes from the heart. Here in Quesnel we are fortunate to have so many people volunteering their time to help others in the community. Charities in Quesnel are dependent on people giving their time and yes, their funds.

The Quesnel Community Foundation is honored to be able to participate in partnerships with many non-profit organizations. These organizations and the QCF share a common goal that is to improve the quality of life for people in the community. The QCF is able to provide funding to organizations by using the income from our endowment fund. This fund is never spent only the income is used. The Quesnel Community Foundation is now granting over $50,000.00 per year to worthy causes.

The Quesnel Community foundation thanks all of Quesnel’s volunteers and donors. These people continue giving throughout the year. People helping others is part of what makes a community special. If you are involved in a non-profit organization that has a special project I encourage you to apply to the QCF for funds. Letters of intent are due January 10th 2014.

On behalf of the directors of the Quesnel Community Foundation, I sincerely wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

Sincerely Roy Josephy SUSTAINING PARTNERS

(MONTH OF DECEMBER ONLY)

OPEN EVENINGS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY PH: JUDY @ 250.992.2449 An advertising home for your business.

To move in call...Karen, or Tracey at 250-992-2121

Fraserview Pharmacy

Claudia Holland & Leslie Johnson

A12 www.quesnelobserver.com

Wednesday, December 25, 2013 Quesnel Cariboo Observer

Your community. Your classifieds.

250.992.2121 fax 250.992.5229 email classifieds@quesnelobserver.com Announcements

INDEX IN BRIEF FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS TRAVEL CHILDREN EMPLOYMENT BUSINESS SERVICES PETS & LIVESTOCK MERCHANDISE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE RENTALS AUTOMOTIVE MARINE

AGREEMENT

It is agreed by any Display or Classified Advertiser requesting space that the liability of the paper in the event of failure to publish an advertisement shall be limited to the amount paid by the advertiser for that portion of the advertising space occupied by the incorrect item only, and that there shall be no liability in any event beyond the amount paid for such advertisement. The publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement.

In Memoriam MEMORIAL GIFTS

Quesnel & District Hospice Palliative Care Association Your tax-deductible donation either to continuing palliative care services or to Quesnel Hospice House will assist those living with or affected by life-threatening illnesses, by providing dignified care and comfort.

Donations may be sent to: Quesnel & District Hospice Palliative Care Association PO BOX 4537, Quesnel, BC V2J 3J8 Volunteer Co-ordinator/Grief Counsellor 250-985-5815 Executive Secretary/Donations 250-985-5816

Thank you for caring.

bcclassified.com cannot be responsible for errors after the first day of publication of any advertisement. Notice of errors on the first day should immediately be called to the attention of the Classified Department to be corrected for the following edition.

Information ADVERTISE in the LARGEST OUTDOOR PUBLICATION IN BC The 2014-2016 BC Hunting Regulations Synopsis

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The most effective way to reach an incredible number of BC Sportsmen & women.

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Merchandise for Sale

Help Wanted

Heavy Duty Machinery

Project Manager required for full time work in the Prince George area. Looking for an experienced & motivated project manager for restoration & new construction projects.

Must have experience in the construction industry & be proficient in CAD. Competitive wage package with benefits.

Email resume to: lisa@northerncapital.ca

Dresser TD15C Crawler Tractor (140 HP) for rent. $5,000/month. Coastal Pacific Equipment. 1(250)392-7755

Misc. for Sale Galvanized Pipe

Never been used.

Three Ft. Pipe, 1-10Ft. Section, 1-20Ft. Section

WANTED Experienced Processor operator needed for full time work in camp in the Vanderhoof Area. call (250)5678639.

Fax resume to (250) 567-2176 Or email to lgmentltd@gmail.com

$1,000 Call (250)747-8335

Misc. Wanted Local Coin Collector Buying Collections, Olympic Gold & Silver Coins etc 778-281-0030

Real Estate Trades, Technical

Commercial/ Industrial Property

Want to get into the trades?

Carpentry & Industrial Mechanic/Millwright Foundation Programs start February 3rd @ CNC Quesnel. For more information, go to cnc.bc.ca/Quesnel or phone Jodi @ (250)992-7500 X7651

For lease 1250sqft commercial space in strip mall. South of town, top of Dragon Lake Hill.

Avail Jan 1, 2014. Call after 6 (250)992-8143

Career Opportunities

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Real Estate

Rentals

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Duplex/4 Plex

Apt/Condo for Rent

Commercial/ Industrial

2Bdrm/1Bath Unit in 4Plex, new reno’s, f/s, w/d included.

Utilities not included. Gas Fireplace, N/S, N/P, nice clean unit near schools & shopping.

Avail. Jan 1st, $750/mo.

(250)992-6629/(250)255-4744 3Bdrm/1Bath Unit in 4-Plex, new reno’s, f/s, w/d included.

Utilities not included. N/S, N/P. Nice clean unit near schools & shopping, avail. immediately, $750/mo. Call (250)992-6629 or (250)255-4744

Houses For Sale One of a kind 4 bdrm, 2 bath home, large stainless steel & granite family kitchen. Fenced child/pet proof back yard. RV parking. In-law suite. Quick possession possible. Asking 249,900. Call (250)992-7807 or (250) 983-8748

Advertisers are reminded that Provincial legislation forbids the publication of any advertisement which discriminates against any person because of race, religion, sex, color, nationality, ancestry or place of origin, or age, unless the condition is justified by a bona fide requirement for the work involved.

ON THE WEB:

CENTURY PLAZA HOTEL Best Rates. 1.800.663.1818

Employment Forestry Logging trucks required immediately for highway haul short logs. Please contact (250) 983-2788 or email hartwoodholdings@hotmail.com

Help Wanted

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GENERAL LABOURERS

OIL & GAS INDUSTRY GUARANTEED Job Placement

This is a very exciting time to be a part of SMS Equipment.

We are one of the largest Komatsu dealers in the world and believe our continued growth is a result of our highly skilled and engaged employees who deliver excellence in the workplace.

Under the guidance of the Chargehand, you will be responsible to: • Perform assemblies, preventative maintenance, repairs and complete overhauls on construction/mining/forestry equipment.

• Diagnose faults or malfunctions using computerized or other testing equipment to determine extent of repair required.

• Make recommendations regarding extent of repairs and suggest methods of improvement.

• Interpret work orders and service manuals in order to complete the required servicing.

• Able to work safely in a challenging environment with minimal supervision.

If you are interested in working for a very dynamic company where your input, your ideas and your participation is valued, apply today.

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The Role:

Reporting to the Chargehand this position is responsible for the diagnosis, repair, maintenance and assembly of Komatsu and other heavy duty industrial equipment that SMS Equipment sells or rents to its customers.

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Journeyman ticket or interprovincial Red Seal HET Must have the ability to follow instructions, utilize shop manuals, able to use laptop for diagnostics and research as well as being able to work with minimal supervision Must possess a strong work ethic, a commitment to excellence and have acute safety awareness Must have effective interpersonal skills, including tact and diplomacy while working with a variety of individuals and groups.

Must have a thorough knowledge of the maintenance and repair of construction/mining/forestry equipment.

Apply Today:

Quali¿ed applicants are invited to submit their resumé by email or fax, quoting reference number HET-14320-121713 to: • Labourers • Tradesmen • Class 1 Drivers

Call 24Hr. Free Recorded Message 1-888-213-2854 Now hiring in Fort St John Qualified mill electricians, paying up to $50/hr 7 days on 7 days off. Housing and benefits. Info @ www.fsjelec.com.

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BEAUTIFUL 2 bdrm ground floor in seniors’ complex, in Ashcroft. F/S, D/W, A/C, W/D, Gas fireplace. $650/mon. 250396-4334.

Homes for Rent Avail Jan 15 - 4bdrm, detatch garage, lrg yard, N/S, N/P, Bouchie Lake area, $800/mo (250) 249-5820.

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Quiet, Secure 1 & 2 bdrm suites.

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Please call Annemarie 1.800.661.6335 email: fish@blackpress.ca

DISCRIMINATORY LEGISLATION

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Volunteer your time, 731 energy and My clients sell skills today. quality...so do I. Call me for all your advertising needs.

Karen Powell at

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Give me a call today.

Tracey Roberts at

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Call Karen or Tracey to book your ad in the Professional Services Directory.

250-992-2121

Quesnel Cariboo Observer Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Rentals

Transportation

Transportation

Homes for Rent

Cars - Sports & Imports

Trucks & Vans

WQ 4Bdrm. House for rent.

Great location. Close to school.

N/S, N/P, call (250)983-5298

2011 Kizashi Sport

OfďŹ ce/Retail 138 McLean St. Accounting Office for past ten years. Call (250)992-2551 (250)983-2266

Suites, Lower 1Bdrm suite, n/s, n/p, references required. $475/mo. Includes Utilities .(250)992-8715

One Owner, 42,000 km’s 6 Speed Standard Too many options to list.

Heated electric leather seats, keyless entry, etc.

Balance of 7 yr. warranty

$19,500 Call (250)747-2666

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Many extras, great shape. $16,000. ďŹ rm Call (250)392-5787

Tenders

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Townhouses RIDGEWOOD Multi Layouts, clean.

Start at $700 No pets Call Tim 991-6429

Cariboo Regional District

Transportation

INVITATION TO

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013 Quesnel Cariboo Observer

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Jonas Gagnon Sports Reporter

Christmas at Nazko T

he Nazko, Kluskus and the Trout Lake people all met in Nazko during the Christmas Holidays, dating back to the 1930s. Sometimes there are people from Ulgatcho who spend their Christmas with their relatives in Nazko. Other years there would be about seven riders from Anaham Reserve. It was the start of one of many Great Carrier gatherings held in Nazko.

The people from Kluskus traveled by sleigh and a team of horses to Nazko and welcome back their children returning from residential school; and to sell their animal furs. The Alec clan from Trout Lake would arrive in their motor vehicles, and sometimes by team of horses and sleigh.

They have been traveling to Nazko to celebrate Christmas in Nazko as far back as I can remember. They also were going to residential school. Father Brown, the priest, would show up three times calling everyone to pray. The little church would fill up to standing room only.

What I enjoyed the most was when people would fill up the little church with all the singing in the Carrier language.

It was worth going to church just to hear the singing. After the church services were over, Peter Morris, an elder, would go to different houses and sing Christmas carols in Carrier to the people. It was so exciting for us kids because Peter would also have a big box of candies to pass around.

Nazko would be a buzzing with people, kids and dogs. This visiting, welcoming and dancing would go on well into the New Year. The Kluskus people would then go back to their respective homes. And the children from Nazko, Kluskus and Trout Lake would reluctantly go back to the 'mission.'

The people from Trout Lake, Lashway, Felix, George and Grandma Minnie Alec, all lived in a small community 24 miles north of Nazko. Back then, the road to the community

was graded and kept in good condition for motor vehicles.

Most of the people from Kluskus resided at a little village called Clay-ee-dlee (meaning where the two waters flow together.) Other families live further away. The family who lives the furthest away were the Jimmy family on the edge of Tatalkus Lake. Tom and Antoine Baptiste lived on both ends of Tsacha Lake, with their respective families. Tom on the east end of the lake and Antoine on the west side. The Cassam family lived at a place called Blue Lake just east of Tsacha Lake. We lived at a place called Jerryboy Place. We would all gather in Clay-ee-dlee before heading for Nazko. All the houses in Clay-ee-dlee would be full of guests and the barns would be full of horses.

Since this mass exodus happened every year, the people would let each other know when to leave for Nazko.

(Usually when all the families have arrived.) After all the anticipation of waiting and planning, the village would be moved enmass, with seven sets of teams of horses and sleighs and a lot of saddle horses being ridden. We would all have to camp along the way in the snow and cold, as the distance to Nazko is too much for a one-day trip. Sometimes the trip was held up by delays and deep snow. Since the days are shorter than in the summer time, the sleigh convoy would have to get an early start to make distance and make camp in the snow before dark. The winter camp was set up at a place called Long Bridge, because of a long corduroy bridge built across a deep muddy swamp. Most of the tents being set up were small 9X12 size, A-framed and made of canvas. And all the families were ready for the cold night, by carrying a small airtight wood stove. The small tent has a stovepipe hole already cut into it and was easy and fast to set up the small heater. And that heater burned

all night long, keeping us warm and cozy inside the tent throughout the freezing night.

Someone would chop a hole in a frozen creek to get and pack water and another ice hole for the horses to drink out of. The sleigh boxes were all first stuffed with hay in Kluskus (for the horses to eat along the way to Nazko) and then other things were piled on top of the hay.

The next morning, after having breakfast, taking the tents down and watering the horses, we were all on the road again going towards Nazko.

Everyone in the group knew we would reach Nazko that day. Anticipation was in the air again.

The last little village we passed through was Beazeako, where Louie Laurent lived with his family. For the last leg of the journey to Nazko, Louie and his family would join the sleigh convoy, adding to our group. The distance to Nazko was about 14 miles. As we got back on the road, some of the saddle horse riders went on ahead to get to Nazko before the sleighs did. They will let the people of Nazko know of the approximate time the sleighs would be arriving at the village.

Before the sleighs reached the top of the hill overlooking the Nazko Valley, each sleigh that owned a gas lamp, lit them up.

As the sleighs passed a clearing where all of Nazko could be seen, the gas lamp parade were seen from down below. The people in the sleighs would start shooting off their big caliber rifles. The people down

Walk for Good Cheer Reason 2 Run hosted a week of walking and running to collect goods for Good Cheer. The store had a run on Tuesday and a walk on Wednesday both last week and this week. Everyone brought an item for Good Cheer and ran/walked through North Quesnel, Johnston Sub and Carson Sub for a tour of the houses with great Christmas lights based on Candace Miller, the owner of Reason 2 Run, scouting trips.

Jonas Gagnon photo

below would start shooting, in returning the welcome. Nazko would be booming with the sound of guns being discharged.

It sounded like fireworks without the lights and sparkles.

As the sleighs enter the reserve, each family from Kluskus knew where and which house to stay in while in Nazko.

Back then, several families in Nazko owned horses and had barns and hay meadows. The Kluskus people knew which family to stay with because they had previously stayed there. And they knew which families had a barn and lots of hay. Some Nazko families, who have a big house, take in two or three families. It would be very crowded over the next tow weeks or so. And everyone gets along well with each other for the duration, while under the one roof. Here and there dogs would start fighting and yapping at each other. If the dogs got serious, then humans got involved to keep them apart. My family would stay at my grandfather's big house by the church. Thomas Chantyman and his family would often stay at my grandfathers as would Peter Morris and his family.

We'd have a full house with bedrolls filling up the space

along the edge of the room. The visiting and welcoming would go on well into the night. The horses were corralled, watered and fed. I think that the horses were happy to be free of pulling all that weight. Their job is done for the day and need the rest for now. The next day the fur buyers came around to buy all animal furs the Kluskus people had trapped. There were three fur buyers bidding on each family's catch of furs. They checked over the furs and wrote down on paper how much they thought the furs were worth.

They would then throw the piece of paper with how much they had bid on the furs, into the centre. The highest bidder wins the furs. They would pay the trapper then and there with cash money. The fur buyers would all go on then to their next victim, at another place.

They had a lot of cash on them that's for sure, a lot of new crisp wads of money rolled up in their pants pocket.

In the evening there would be a poker game or a blackjack game going on in someone house. They would refer to that house as the 'gamble house' and the gambling would go on all night long. see PAGE A15

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

CHRISTMAS from A14 The only set back was when the gas lamp ran out of fas and goes out and the gamblers are sitting in the dark, waiting for someone to fill up the gas lamp. When the gas lamp is lit again, the gambling would resume. The gamble house would be just as full as the church. The gambling would go on for many nights. Some nights there would be a dance started, with a button accordion providing the music and sometimes accompanied by a guitar. Someone would ask a house owner if they could hold a dance at their home. The house owner would start rolling up their bedrolls and stuff to make space for a dance. Once an accordion player was located then the dance would start.

The dancers would two-step all night till daylight.

Thinking and remembering the fun we had as kids, it seemed there was nothing better. We'd be running to each and every house, just to see people you haven't seen for a long time, renewing acquaintances. Each morning and evening, we'd be riding the horses to the water hole on the lake and

A Nazko Christmas continued back to the barn.

In those days, there wasn't that much alcohol abuse on the reserve. People danced all night long without any alcohol being consumed.

If any drinking happened, it was done privately in individual houses. The people were happy back then with hardly any dependence on alcohol. There was a lot of laughter and story-telling amongst the people.

As alcohol became readily available with improved roads to town and the people owning cars, the problem of alcohol worsened. Alcohol along with other drugs today, have killed the laughter of our people.

Theis story of how the people were happy back then (might be hard for the younger generation to believe) needs to happen again. We need to re-examine the old ways of living, the ways of our elders and our ancestors and see how they had lived on this land. We can learn from the old ways.

Alcohol and drugs seems to have wrecked everything it has touched. It has wrecked our lives in every way possible including our jobs, our families and our communities.

Quesnel

The destruction and the pain it causes is insurmountable and can't be blamed as the only cause of effects by alcohol. Alcohol has contributed directly to the disruption of our lives, whenever alcohol is consumed.

Whenever there's alcohol involved, it seems that the kids are the on's who get hurt the most.

They often end up experiencing most of the abuse. The sad part about this is we are teaching the next generation to be exactly like us. The message we give to our kids is that if the parents are drinking, then it must be okay for the kids to drink.

It would due great if we could get back our happiness in our lives again. The future would then start to look better with people having a better idea of where they are going in life.

I have been on the sleight ride from Kluskus. Other years I was living in Nazko when the sleigh convoy comes off the hill to the west. And I was one of the mission kids, coming home for the holidays. I think I like the coming home from the mission the best, because it was like being set free and you know you are going to have fun in

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Nazko.

Maybe getting back to owning your horse and looking after it would bring back some of the things that are important to having a life.

The people would be happier and helping each other and enjoying the community spirit again. You could then be able to organize short rides or long rides on the Grease Trail. You could then cut hay and maybe build a barn. With the

horses you can have a wagon or sleigh to do things with. There are always horse events that you could take part in, like gymkhana that are fun to enter.The horse would be able to help you in your healing.

I am hoping that each and everyone has a happy and safe Christmas and hope the New Year is better for you and your family.

– submitted by Stan Boyd

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December 22-28, 2013 ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 Aries, some difficulty awaits you, but you are strong and fully capable of handling what’s coming your way.

Maintain your composure and stick it out a little longer.

TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Taurus, this is your week to shine and let everyone at work know just how talented and devoted you are to the team. Enjoy the fanfare while you can get it.

GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Distractions are lurking, Gemini, but you will still manage to get things done. Somehow you find the focus needed to muddle through all the work.

CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Trust someone close to you with a few of your secrets, Cancer. Holding them in may only cause you grief in the long run. Don’t worry, your confidante will be supportive.

LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, an investment opportunity has piqued your interest. Until you sign over the funds, be sure to research everything thoroughly and call in some expert advice.

VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 Virgo, you have a lot on your plate, but you can handle it on your own. If things are to get done, you will get them accomplished of your own accord, even if it takes longer.

LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Some added confidence is all you need to get back on the right track, Libra. Things are bound to work out in your favor, especially when you put your mind to something.

SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, just when skepticism seems to be taking over, you will discover once in a while there are a few surprises with happy endings. Enjoy your good luck.

SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 Sagittarius, though unusual, your behavior might seem perfectly reasonable to you. But unless you share your thoughts with others, they may wonder what is going on.

CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Remember that words said in the heat of the moment will not soon be forgotten, Capricorn. Don’t forget to employ some tact when discussing serious matters with loved ones.

AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, this week you will have to be very convincing if you want plans to go your way. Brush up on your approach and give thought to exactly what it is you want to say.

PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Take a few days to let your mind wander, Pisces. You will probably find being a free spirit to be a refreshing break from the norm.

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