The holiday season in Maniwaki That's it goin '..... NoëlBonne Happy Year
It is these times that we say bless ... because they relate to children and values our respective families. In my Algonquin village, Christmas and New Year were celebrated royally. It put the packet. It was a return yards and it was all an excuse to party. After the long months of hard work in wood, restraint was not too appropriate. Were watered thoroughly divine birth. Kings of Christmas, we went from family to family. Groceries, beverages, candies, gifts, songs and family gatherings, it swingnait big. It was easy breakfast at home, lunch and dinner with an uncle in another aunt. I happened to wake up frequently because otherwise asleep from my parents, I stayed or where the vigil took place. In Maniwaki, y 'and Nault were celebrating this strong. Of the six local hotels, four belonged to members of the family. Large families vied for tips celebrate the event. In my clan, there were two types of families: rich and poor. During the holidays, trying to forget one's income.
The ball began to midnight mass or solemn pontificating the Oblates in their finery. The Grey Nuns and brothers of the convent of the Sacred Heart College had carefully prepared the children. The singers of the choir and altar boys put all their ardor of a child; I, who was part of the choir and altar boys I was always torn whether I should be in the gallery or choir. Remember that we put our red cassocks and our surplice lace during the holidays and we strutted through an inlet of the most solemn. The nobles of the place, Hubert, McConnery, the L'Heureux, and Besner, Poliquin, and Thériault, Gendron, some Nault ...... had paid for the seats of choice before the Great Church because there was a chapel in the flat for the poor. Again, we paid the benches and the less poor were in before going back to the poorest or standing. Everyone managed to take his place. This split the party not too obscure, it had not yet discovered the equality of all before God. It was natural that the cousins are buried in the rich gifts while we had one or two practical gifts: shirts, boots, hats, mittens .... sometimes skis or skates. Parental love Supplement lack of money.
In time, there was snow! Too. Sometimes, it blocked the view of our house windows. In Maniwaki, as elsewhere, we do not pick up the snow and our days were spent outside. Our houses were small, families and many outside it there was room. We played street hockey rink or brothers. Furthermore, we glide, the mountains were not far off. On 6 January, it would embrace the Infant Jesus wax to church and we knew that this gentle kiss and more of us to share germs throngs of children led us inevitably to the school year in January.
Thus unfolded over time. What remains about those ancient times? Memories of course, but also values that we shared with our children. There can be a happy Christmas without our children and grandchildren, without family members. Christmas is and remains for me a party: family celebration, the feast of joy, celebration party ..
EDDY
