Christmas Young Adult Years
1995 -2000
In January 1995 I met my eventually husband. Canadian to the core - from Toronto.
Any cultural gaps I had been missing were about to be filled.
Even though we had transitioned from a Third World country to a First World one seemingly filled with abundance there were still many things I had yet to experience.
He came from a world of Christmas movies I had never heard of, Christmas brunches, snow days , mall Santas and trips "up north". He'd told me his family was French - to my surprise from New Brunswick.
Catholics. To this point I honestly thought Quebec was the only way to truly be "French" in Canada !
To add to this new experience my man really loves Christmas ! His extravagance would flow from the heart rather than the wallet , a stark contrast between his Irish roots an my own Scottish ones.
Adding to this was an Italian branch by marriage.
Christmas on his side was very colourful. On one side a flurry of blended families held together by some sort of Christmas magic. On the other, a whirl of English punctuated by French and Italian - fortunately being bilingual well equipped me to keep up as our own home had always blended Portuguese and English from all corners of the missionary world.
Any cultural gaps I had been missing were about to be filled.
Even though we had transitioned from a Third World country to a First World one seemingly filled with abundance there were still many things I had yet to experience.
He came from a world of Christmas movies I had never heard of, Christmas brunches, snow days , mall Santas and trips "up north". He'd told me his family was French - to my surprise from New Brunswick.
Catholics. To this point I honestly thought Quebec was the only way to truly be "French" in Canada !
To add to this new experience my man really loves Christmas ! His extravagance would flow from the heart rather than the wallet , a stark contrast between his Irish roots an my own Scottish ones.
Adding to this was an Italian branch by marriage.
Christmas on his side was very colourful. On one side a flurry of blended families held together by some sort of Christmas magic. On the other, a whirl of English punctuated by French and Italian - fortunately being bilingual well equipped me to keep up as our own home had always blended Portuguese and English from all corners of the missionary world.
I can remember being very awestruck at the desserts ; cakes, cookies, biscotti, nougat, and panetone. Not even so much at the range of it all but because this was the first time I can recall being encouraged to eat to excess ! Prior to this desserts in my home had been very acutely enjoyed - would you like "this" OR "that" - one cookie, one square of cake , one tablespoon of Christmas pudding I had not recalled multiple items and certainly not seconds and beyond !
Also, weirdly in this new world people randomly napped in chairs. IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE ! I cannot remember my parents ever so much as reclining on the sofa growing up. They were very hard workers and never seemed to really settle down.
For extra money my husband-to-be would take on seasonal work in the malls as a Santa. His family owned an entertainment business and as such we were also blessed by impromptu magic performances or new balloon animals and clown acts in the middle of a family visit !
For extra money my husband-to-be would take on seasonal work in the malls as a Santa. His family owned an entertainment business and as such we were also blessed by impromptu magic performances or new balloon animals and clown acts in the middle of a family visit !
For our first married Christmas in 1998 , my husband greatly surprised me with a brand new Christmas tree and now no matter how many needles it sheds is too precious to replace. She is now 22 years old.
Another great memory I have is gathering around my husband's step mother's table. She was a personal chef and former restauranteur . Her meals were heightened affairs - warm candles, mimosas, and cocktails. Herb crusted roasts and light desserts such as creme brulee. I vividly recall dainty champagne glasses with fresh raspberries that would be carried up with the bubbles. She taught me to hold a glass by the stem so to not smudge the glass or warm the drink. Her conversations were always kind and all inclusive. Here we talked about celebrity gossip like they were people we knew ! She ignited a strong desire for the culinary arts which I would go on to pursue.
I do not recall one bad Christmas memory between 1995 and 2000.
Another great memory I have is gathering around my husband's step mother's table. She was a personal chef and former restauranteur . Her meals were heightened affairs - warm candles, mimosas, and cocktails. Herb crusted roasts and light desserts such as creme brulee. I vividly recall dainty champagne glasses with fresh raspberries that would be carried up with the bubbles. She taught me to hold a glass by the stem so to not smudge the glass or warm the drink. Her conversations were always kind and all inclusive. Here we talked about celebrity gossip like they were people we knew ! She ignited a strong desire for the culinary arts which I would go on to pursue.
I do not recall one bad Christmas memory between 1995 and 2000.
