Suzanne Campbell, the CEO of the Orillia Public Library, said her family continues to celebrate Christmas traditions that have deep roots in her upbringing.
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One of my favourite Christmas memories centres on Christmas Eve.
When I was 12 my Mom died, so Christmas that year was going to be a sad celebration so my Dad decided to change things up a bit and have a gathering of friends and family on Christmas Eve.
My Dad invited his friends and my brother and I invited our best friends. Part of this gathering centred on the food and we decided to serve Tourtiere Pie and this became a new tradition. Every Christmas Eve, we would gather with friends and sometimes family and enjoy food and company.
After everyone had left, my Dad, my brother and I would cuddle up together and read The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore.
Today, I continue some of this tradition with my family. On Christmas Eve, we always eat Tourtiere Pie and cuddle up and read The Night Before Christmas.
Although I still have my original book, a little worse for wear, my children Caryn, Connor, and Noah prefer the Jan Brett illustrated version.
Even though my kids are now in their twenties, we still cuddle up with everyone who is home on Christmas Eve and read The Night Before Christmas.
