Whitecourt and area residents share some of their favourite Christmas memories

Christmas means different things to different people. From family traditions to special memories
and people, places to see, things to do and everything in between. For some, the holidays might
mean travelling or staying close to home. Most families bake or cook up certain dishes year
after year, and lots attend mass to celebrate their faith and the birth of Jesus.   
For Cheryle Trofimuk, one of her favourite memories of Christmas is one from her childhood. A
very special lady in her life, her grandmother, was known for making a delectable cherry
cheesecake every Christmas Eve, which she could not wait to dig into. “I was most excited
about her cherry cheese, even though it was so simple. Somehow, she’d make it taste so
delicious,” explained Trofimuk.
 “She passed away a few years ago, and I’ve taken on the tradition of making cherry
cheesecake every Christmas. It’s not the same (without her). I feel it makes me honour my
grandmother when I think of her and her cherry cheesecake every year,” she said. Trofimuk,
who wears her grandmother’s gold ring that she inherited, said those memories of her
grandmother are a significant part of her life.
For local mom Loralei Sergeew, her fondest memories also stemmed from her childhood. “My
grandparents, Stan and Margaret Case, would host a large Christmas brunch every year.
Family
and friends would gather, and Grandpa would cook all morning. He passed when I was nine.
Our family continued the tradition, but it wasn’t the same without Grandpa at the stove.”
Sergeew said though she was too young to remember what dishes he made, she remembers
the feelings of that time, and the emotions remain in her heart years later. “I was too young to
remember the food, but I remember a house full of people, love and laughter.” Sergeew does
remember one thing, though. “He was a professional bacon maker,” she chuckled, proudly.
Tara Bartsch is another person who holds onto special memories. Her younger brother, Cole,
who tragically passed while serving in the military, was a fanatic for Christmas. “It was his
favourite holiday! He would get up super early, grab his stocking, and try and wake everyone
up,” said Bartsch.
“One year, he tried to wake me up super early,” laughing as she recalled the morning in

question. “We had just moved to the acreage where my parents live now. My door had been the
outside door, and when it became my bedroom door, I had a lock on the inside.  So that
Christmas Eve, I decided I was sleeping in and locked it. Cole was there early, trying to get in,
knocking on the door and trying to bribe me with my stocking. Ha-ha! But nope. I slept in that
year,” said Bartsch.
Food is also something that sticks with her, no matter how many years pass. Traditions have a
way of bringing lost loved ones closer. “My second favourite memory is that Cole would make
everyone crepes Christmas morning. We stopped for a bit after he passed, but my mom has
picked it back up,” she said.
For Amanda Mckenzie, Christmas dinner was her favourite memory, especially when she still
lived in Newfoundland and her Nan would watch her. “She would watch me while my parents

went out and made me turn off the lights so that no mummers would come knocking at the
door,” she laughed.
Mummers and mummering are traditions found on the East Coast. “It’s when people dress up in
disguise, with anything from around the house, to change their appearance, even talk or walk
differently,” she explained. “Then they go to the homes of friends and family, and the host has to
guess who’s who. Then the mask is usually removed, and they go from strangers to friends.
After, there’s lots of song, dance and drink!” Mckenzie said though the tradition isn’t as popular
as it once was, the memories remain strong for her. “It’s not around much anymore, but St
Johns has a Mummer Parade each year.”
When asked what part of Christmas dinner she remembers most, Mckenzie said her Nan takes
the cake, or rather, cobbler. “My favourite thing my Nan made would be either her homemade
buns or her Blueberry Grunt, like a blueberry cobbler. My Nan spent all her time in the kitchen,
and all the family would get together. I sure miss it a lot!”
From food to trees, many residents enjoy the experience of finding their own Christmas tree,
chopping it down, bringing it home, and dressing it up in shimmering festive glory. Laurie
Catherine Trigg and her crew do just that, but they add a musical touch, which has become a
family tradition. “When my mama homeschooled us, we would go out and get a Christmas tree
from our field or ditch while playing the song, “Going to get a Christmas Tree” by Tom Paxton,”

she explained. “And now, myself and my sweet, homeschooled babies do the same thing. We
sing it the entire way, regardless of whether we are on foot or in a vehicle! It’s the sweetest!”
Local mom Jennifer Moffat and her family also enjoy the tradition of getting their own tree. The
crew recently completed the yearly trek into the fluffy white snow to pick out the perfect
specimen for their living room, now surely decorated in all its glory.
For Tabitha Desrosiers, travelling to Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan for Christmas with her mom,
dad, and siblings is one of her fondest memories. “My parents would load all the gifts into the
van, and Nicole, Shayne and I would buckle in, ready to spend Christmas with my mom’s side of
the family,” she explained.
“It seemed like forever when I was a child, but as I got older, the trip wasn’t as long as I thought,
ha-ha! Upon arrival, my Grandpa Alex and Grandma Eva would wave in the window while we
came down the driveway. Each spruce tree that lined the drive would sparkle with the vintage
Christmas bulbs! When I saw those trees, I felt the magic of Christmas!”
Desrosiers said they also did Christmas Eve skits, which the cousins would get on board with.
While performing, one person would be absent from the crowd for good reason. “My Grandpa
would go dress as Santa, and then after, he would be outside. We never caught on that
Grandpa wouldn’t be watching, and that Santa would always appear right after we finished.”
Talk
about going the extra mile to create magic for the kids. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good
night.
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Everyone has their own Christmas traditions and holiday memories. Here are a few stories from
area residents for you to enjoy. From hunting for a Christmas tree to festive skits and favourite
recipes, we hope the spirit of the season comes through their experiences.