TUESDAY
S I N C E
DECEMBER 23, 2014
1 8 9 5 Looking back on 2014
Vol. 119, Issue 199
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
Christmas celebrations from around the world
Christmas traditions mean different things to different people, especially in a setting like the West Kootenay which has attracted people from all corners of the world for generations. Here’s a look at how local residents, new and old, celebrated in their hometowns.
From Italy to the Silver City BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
Opening up our hearts to the real needs of the world is what the Christmas season means to Vicki Bisaro. What we need is peace and a little less of the material things that don't really matter. The 97-year-old pillar of the Trail community sat down with the Trail Times to reminisce about Christmas past in the Silver City. But first the story begins with her recollections of living in Northern Italy until she, her mother and brother boarded a ship in Trieste in 1924. The young family landed in Halifax
weeks later and in another two weeks, after a dusty train ride across Canada, they stepped on West Kootenay soil for the first time - and joined her father who had immigrated to Trail three years earlier. “We never had presents at Christmas because that wasn't the thing to do in Italy,” recalled Bisaro. “Instead of celebrating the way we do here, January 6th, which is when the three wise men reach the stable, that was the big celebration.” The Epiphany in Italy, based on the story of the three kings (Magi or wise men) visiting Jesus in Bethlehem and offering gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, remains a public holiday in that country today. “The night before we would put out a wooden shoe on the window sill,” Bisaro explained. “And then in the morning we could hardly wait to get up because there would be an orange and a few chestnuts and walnuts left in it.” She remembers the tangy treat of an orange grown in Southern Italy, and how she and her brother would go out to the street to eat it.
Head to the beach in Australia BY LIZ BEVAN
a special pate sauce and lemons with an assortment of salads.” Snow, carols and a plump Christmas dinner means a turkey dinner are a part of change of location, but the same Christmas tradition in Canada, fare. but in Australia, the sun is “We have two sides of the shining and the beaches are family – my mom’s and my dad’s,” crowded. said Wallace. “We would go to It is the middle of summer one for lunch and one for dinner. on Dec. 25 in Ballina, Australia, We would eat our main meal then where Rossland News reporter have leftovers for dinner.” Alicia Wallace grew up. It is 40 C during an Australian ALICIA To Wallace, Christmas summer, so heating up the oven WALLACE means firing up the grill and for a turkey is out of the quesgoing for a swim. tion. And since you can’t find “It is quite common to camp at the snowmen or sleigh rides in her homebeach,” she said. “Then we would go town, a lot of Christmas carols don’t fit. swimming before we have a BBQ break“Singing carols isn’t a big thing,” fast and play cricket on the beach.” shared Wallace, adding that she is defFor lunch, the main Christmas meal, initely looking forward to seeing some seafood and salads were on the menu. snow this Christmas. “Some people do, “We would have a ham with seafood,” but a lot of people tend to think it is a she said. “There would be prawns with bit corny.” Times Staff
SHERI REGNIER PHOTO
Vicki Bisaro shared her Christmas memories of a young girl in Northern Italy to a matriarch in Trail. “We didn't even throw the peel during the lean times and a long the children came and grew, all away, you had a bunch of kids happy marriage and four sons, my relatives knew that toys were around you poorer than you,” that shaped Bisaro's strong spirit not to be given. My boys were explained Bisaro. “They would and belief about the true mean- sure to get one toy but it had to be from Santa Claus – only one. say, 'Can I have just a little piece ing of Christmas. of the peel?” “My husband loved Christmas, The rest of the presents were useIt's those childhood mem- for him it was the most import- ful things like clothes or books.” See THANK, Page 4 ories, her life growing up in Trail ant day of the year,” she said. “As
Family and fun in Scotland BY LIZ BEVAN
“You always have to have a trifle (for dessert),” she said. A Scottish Christmas “We always have baby sausages involves big family, dancing wrapped in bacon, and you have and lots of whisky. to have sausage meat stuffed in Jennifer Tod is currently your turkey. Of course, lots of staying in Rossland, but hails whisky. There was always lots from Edinburgh, and says the of whisky.” holiday season whisky drinkChristmas day was hecing starts the night before tic and busy for Tod and her Christmas, down at the pub. family, with a house full of “Christmas Eve is really aunts, uncles, cousins, grandJENNIFER big,” she shared. “Everyone parents and more. TOD comes home for Christmas and “When I was a kid, there it is the one night a year that would be at least 25 of us,” everyone gets together. Everyone goes she said. “Everyone would come over to the pub…until maybe 5 or 6 a.m.” and the mums would be in the kitchen Christmas Eve is also when the cooking and getting drunk and then the cooking starts for a Scottish Christmas kids would just run around.” dinner. Tod’s family had the familiar After dinner, someone would get out trimmings on the table – turkey, pota- a fiddle and the family would start a toes and stuffing – and a couple other ceilidh, a Gaelic dance party. dishes that are uniquely Scottish. See CELEBRATION, Page 4 Times Staff
Have your picture taken with Santa!
Today until 4:00pm
Shopping hours Tonight until 9:00pm. Christmas Eve 9:30am - 5pm No Frills hours Tonight until 9:00pm. Christmas Eve 9am - 6pm Christmas Day closed Boxing Day Mall hours 10am - 5pm. No Frills hours 9am - 6pm
Free kids playroom and ball pit
www.wanetaplaza.com
5 min. east of Trail on Hwy 3B
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