Paul Masse
Student Union Business Manager
“A little tradition we've done since my daughter (now 14) was born is to go cut a Christmas tree. We generally have gone to a local farm, but for a brief period we had a more interesting location. My wife, who is a nurse, had as one of her patients a very kind elderly gentleman, (who) at the time he was 97-years-old, who said we should go visit him, have some cookies and cut any one of the trees on his farm we wanted. We didn't see each other over the next year, but just before Christmas, he looked us up and asked if we were going to come again and cut another tree down. We did and exchanged some gifts, cards, and some snacks. However he passed away soon after that, and although it was a brief friendship, our family has a nice Christmas memory.”

Howard Rundle
Fanshawe College President
“I might say my favourite tradition for the last five-years has been spending the holiday in Perth, Australia. The reason for that is my daughter and her family live there and it is the only time each year I get to see and actually hold and play with my two grandchildren. In truth, I don't like the Australian Christmas though - (It's) hot, no snow, no turkey, no Christmas trees. Bah Humbug.”

Travis Mazereeuw
Student Union President
“One year, way back yonder, we built a race track in our back yard - now we didn't have a huge backyard but we still managed to build a fully-functioning crazy carpet type track. It started at the back door with a large mound of snow, and then it went down about 30-feet and even had a turn. We built it all out of snow and then watered it with the hose so it would freeze and be slick as ice. At one point we had to build the turn higher because it would shoot you off, and make you smash into the fence. Man that thing was sweet.”

Laya Birtch
FSU Receptionist
“In my family we don't usually put up a Christmas tree, there were nine kids and it just would have gotten destroyed before Christmas even got here. But one year when my youngest sister Emma-Lee was about nine-or-10 she really wanted to put a tree up. So while I was at work my husband, Josh, decided to go into our creepy basement and found an old and ratty tree. Emma was so excited, but there weren't any ornaments for it and it was too late to buy any. So they made their own out of old pop cans, snowflakes cut out of scrap paper and other garbage. It was actually pretty disgusting and probably not very healthy. But this is my Tiny Tim Christmas story.”

Mike Hall
Out Back Shack Manager
“There are many people (myself included) who really don't enjoy malls - (but) I have discovered the secret to the best Christmas shopping. I was in Ottawa and dreaded the Rideau Centre - I was not looking forward to. Four floors of the same crap sold right across Canada and the US. It was actually because of my lazy walk to the mall that I discovered a row of three houses converted into stores. I thought I'd take a look around and 30 seconds in the door I had the perfect gift for my mom. I've learned to look for what most chain stores don't offer; a warm atmosphere and friendly staff. Screw you long line-ups, no parking and fake customer service!”