About 100 delighted Chapleau children, twelve and under, gave Santa Claus a "rousing welcome" at the Oddfellows and Rebekahs annual Christmas party in the Town Hall basement in 1960, according to the Chapleau Sentinel.
Each child was presented with a gift by Santa as he spent time having a "chummy chat" with all of them.
But before Santa arrived, there was a program of songs, recitations and solo to entertain the guests including lodge members and parents.
Mrs. Richard Hoath vice grand of the Rebekahs welcomed all, while Norm Veit of the Oddfellows was chair for the evening.
Janice Corston opened the entertainment program with the recitation of a Christmas poem followed by Kelly Romain singing 'Mothers of Salem'.
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| Norm Veit and unknown |
Allen Coulter and Robbie Pellow also sang solos. Gail May and Derek Edwards sang a duet.
Judy Godemair gave a piano solo.
Jo Anne Dunne sang 'Away on a Housetop' while Don St. Germaine gave his rendition of 'Away in a Manger.'
The entertainment ended with 'Silent Night' sung by Joyce and Janet Cluett and Beverly Hamilton.
And then, according to the Chapleau Sentinel, "with jingling bells and a jolly 'Ho Ho' Santa arrived amid cheers and applause."
Soon, after Santa gave each child a gift a great variety of toys covered the floor in the Town Hall basement.
A special occasion was marked with a rousing Happy Birthday to past grand of the Oddfellows Roy Desson who was celebrating his birthday.
Mr. Veit was assisted by Walter Midkiff, Hiram McEachren and others while assisting Santa were Mrs. Hoath and Mrs. Isabel Robinson.
Whenever the subject of favourite memories of Christmas arises among those of us who go back to at least the 1950s, someone, or most likely everyone, unanimously will declare, "Dr. Young's Christmas display".
It was a highlight of the season for all ages to visit a magical land right in the heart of Chapleau.
I am including a couple of photos from the early days of his display before he converted the G.B. Nicholson home, which he had purchased after returning home to practise medicine in 1944-45. I thank Harriet (Newcombe) Bouillon for providing me with the photos.
As I reflected on my own years growing up in Chapleau, I think the display and the lights and the music were most meaningful as we walked from our home on Grey Street South on a usually bitterly cold Christmas Eve's to the midnight service at St. John's Anglican Church.
Along the way, and on the way home we would meet and greet folks from Trinity United Church and Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, and when I was a teenager, I would run between St. John's and Sacred Heart to attend the service there with some of my friends.
My email is mj.morris@live.ca
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