Letter from the Editor One of the great things about Christ- mas and the whole Christmas season is the traditions. Some go back thousands of years and are shared by families around the world. Others are much more personal… like re- membering to take the buns out of the oven after the turkey comes out. That’s a family tradition in my house. My mother forgot the buns many times over the years, and now that I
bountiful year and there’s still wrapping to do after midnight, I roll right into National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation . I’ve been known to wrap gifts until two, three, even four in the morning, but I can’t seem to do it without a holiday movie playing in the background. Christmas dinner is another one of those cherished continuities. When I was growing up, my mother and grandfather made the same turkey dinner every year: mashed potatoes, carrots and parsnips, squash, a pickle tray, a cheese tray, rice and sausage stuffing—and, of course, those infamous buns. Now that I’m hosting dinner, the menu hasn’t changed much in 47 years, though my mother-in-law has contributed her own family favourite: blueberry duff, a Maritime classic that’s become a welcome addition to our table. Whatever your family traditions look like -- old, new, big, small, or slightly singed, I hope they bring you joy this holiday season. From my family to yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and may your buns make it to the table.
host Christmas dinner myself, I can’t even point fingers. I have gotten busy and forgotten about the buns once or twice, too. It’s almost not Christmas until someone says, ‘Hey, weren’t there supposed to be buns?’ Traditions can be big or small, fancy or simple. Maybe it’s spending time with family, baking your famous holiday cookies, or decorating the tree in your own unique way, whether that means carefully coordinated or chaotically creative. A good friend of mine tells me about his family’s two very different approaches. His mother’s tree is a joyful explosion of tinsel and mismatched ornaments -- fun, spontaneous, and full of memories. His aunt’s, on the other hand, is a masterclass in precision. She spaces her Elvis ornaments with the accuracy of a surveyor. (She’s a retired accountant, so it all makes sense.) For me, one of my favourite Christmas traditions is watching Miracle on 34th Street , the original black-and-white version only, thank you, while wrapping presents. If it’s been a particularly
Port Stanley Villager December 2025 cover At the Battle at the Beach Hockey Tournament, the Port Stanley White were taking on the Ingersoll Express. Sadly the Express emerged victorious 4 – 2. Photo by Geoff Rae.
Port Stanley Villager magazin e has partnered with local businesses to help share the joy of Christmas with local seniors. Search this magazine for this Santa logo, and each time you find him, you will see a business that cared about sharing a smile this Christmas. Each of these Santas represents gifts given to local seniors through the Smiles for Seniors at Christmas How you can win!
Fresh • Local • Delicious FARM-FRESH FRUITS & VEGGIES HOMEMADE BAKED GOODS 6548 Sunset Rd, St. Thomas, ON, N5P 3S8 Open Daily — 9am to 5pm
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program. This year, with the support of our local businesses, we have been able to donate $3,000, and over five years, we have given more than $17,000 in total. If you can spot all the Santas, you, too, have a chance to win. Count the Santas and send an email with your name, phone number and the name of this magazine to hometown@ villagerpublications.com with the correct number of Santas for your chance to win. On December 15th, we will randomly draw one name from the correct entries, and you could win a $75 Foodland gift certificate just in time for Christmas!
May your Christmas be M erry & B right From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!
Port Stanley Villager
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
519-773-8951 or 519-631-0590 www.koolenelectric.ca IN POWER. SINCE 1920
Page 2 Port Stanley Villager • December 2025
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