Christmas Flowers Canada Make Christmas Paper Flowers

Paper is one of the most easily available decorative resources, offering prolific creative use. Making ornamental flowers has been one of its most popular applications. You can enhance your decor with a variety of designs and striking bold range of colors. All we need is a little imagination and skill to turn out an aesthetically pleasing paper craft. With send flowers to canada Christmas being round the corner, let us try out the steps given below to design our own easy to make flowers, which will last longer without costing much.

Things you need:

1. Glaze paper sheets - red & green

2. Scissors

3. Glue

4. Stick or straw

5. Cotton ball

6. Tissue paper - white

7. Clear tape

8. Floral tape

9. Green ribbon

10. Paint color - brown

11. Colored pencil

12. Floral perfume

13. Transparent flask/vase

14. Small pearls - white

Procedure for making Christmas paper flowers through christmas flowers canada : 

• Stem:

• Covering Stick: Take a stick and cover it with green glaze paper. Let it dry.

• Bow: Cover the stick with green ribbon, while also making a bow with it.

• Head of the stick: Take cotton ball and place it at the centre of a piece of tissue paper measuring about 2"X 2".

• Cotton ball: Squeeze the tissue paper and place it at the top of the stick with the help of clear tape.

• Pasting pearls: Glue small pearls on the cotton ball.

• Baseboard: Take a small cardboard piece and cut it in round shape with a diameter of 2". Make a hole at the centre of the board.

• Attaching stick: Paste the board with the stick in a way that the cotton ball comes out from the hole in the cardboard.

• Repeating: Make such 4 pieces.

• Flower:

• Drawing petals: Take a red glaze paper and draw petals on it with the help of colored pencil.

• Making petals: Place 2-3 glaze papers below the above drawn sheet. Ensure that all the edges are at the same point. Now, use scissors to cut the papers together, as per the drawn shapes.

• Pasting petals: At the edge of the circular cardboard, paste the petals one by one in a round arrangement. Cover the complete board cutout similarly.

• Decorating the petals: Decorate the corners of the petal with golden sparkle.

• Perfumes: Spray some floral perfume on the flower.

• Repetition: Repeat this procedure to make four more such pieces.

• Tying flower: After making the entire bouquet, tie the flowers with the help of red and golden ribbon, while making a bow out of it.

• Placing flower: Put your paper flowers in a transparent vase.

Tips:

1. Try making peculiar flowers for uniqueness.

2. Spray the perfume from a distance for a wider spread.

3. More layers of petals enhance the beauty of flowers.

Annette Labedzki received her BFA at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. She has more than 25 years experience. She is the founder and developer of an online art gallery featuring original art from all over the world. It is a great site for art collectors to buy original art. Is is also a venue for artists to display and sell their art. Artists can join for free and their image upload is unlimited. Please visit the website at christmas flowers canada blogs .

Making Filipino cuisine world-class - Christmas Flowers Canada

MANILA, Philippines — I'’m giving myself a break from the hubbub in the political and business scene. I figured I’d write about something close to home and close to heart for a change—something to celebrate the season. It’s christmas flowers canada .As those close to me know, I’ve been a foodie practically my entire life. I was one of those kids who grew up in the kitchen throughout my elementary and high school years. My father, Virge, was a restaurateur and the oldies among us would remember him as one of the first fast food chain operators in the country. This was back in the ’60s and ’70s. His C&M Coffee Shops had a network of more than 40 restaurants at its peak. For a short while, Dad was the market leader in his field until a labor strike killed his company. Dad passed away, too.

I learned a lot from Dad, which is why I eventually ended up in the food industry myself. I remember going straight to his office after school just to hang out with him, his workers, and the visitors that came and went. Summers were spent in his commissary and restaurants as well—it was there where I learned how to be a stock clerk, a kitchen hand, a quality control supervisor, a cahero and a waiter.

No surprise that immediately after college, I ventured out as an entrepreneur and opened a small fast food business called Dimsum ’N Dumplings. Even if I was trained to be an economist, I suppose I was subliminally drawn to the food industry if only to keep myself connected to my father. In any event, that small venture of mine grew from one to two, to 10 to 50, to a hundred stores until I eventually sold the business recently. It was a good ride and I’d like to think I carried on Dad’s legacy that, unfortunately, was cut short when he died at just 45.

A new mission

My wife Sandee and I are both involved in the food industry—me, as a businessman; and her, a professional food stylist. Apart from attending to the obligations of my job as a businessman, our travels, reads and socials as a couple are largely dominated by food and food-related events.

In the past five years, we’ve seen how Vietnamese, Malaysian and Singaporean cuisines have gained headway in the world culinary scene, joining the Thais in terms of acceptance and appreciation. It kills us to see how our very own Filipino cuisine is being left behind again.

Even in our travels, we’ve witnessed how most Southeast Asian cuisines have come of age in major melting pots all over the world while ours remains confined to serving just the ethnic market. In Vancouver, a city we frequent, despite Filipinos being the third largest ethnic group in the city, there are only five Filipino restaurants in operation, all of whom catering to Pinoys exclusively. In contrast, there are a little bit less than 50 Vietnamese places and more than a hundred Thai eateries in the city, all of which cater to the mainstream market. The story is the same in Sydney, Paris, Frankfurt and even Madrid.

The situation is truly lamentable given that Philippine cuisine is arguably one of the richest cooking disciplines in the region. Like the great cuisines of the world—French, Italian and Chinese—our cuisine has the same depth of flavor and taste differentiation according to geography. Just as the Chinese have their Cantonese, Hainanese, Peking and Zsechuan style of cooking, so do we Filipinos have our Ilocano, Ilonggo and Palaweño styles, and more. The flavors of our regional cuisines vary as much as their methods of cooking and ingredients do. This speaks volumes for our rich culinary heritage.

The fact that Filipino cuisine is not given the recognition nor attention it deserves has been festering in both Sandee and I. Our Filipino pride just can’t swallow it.

So together, we took action. We embarked upon a mission to revive age-old Filipino dishes otherwise forgotten in this age of hamburgers and pizza, and showcase them in a manner befitting any world-class cuisine. We put up a restaurant called XO46 Heritage Bistro in Makati as our vehicle for this crusade.

We focus on preparing Filipino heritage recipes the way our forefathers did—the slow, long-handed way without any fusion influences. We’d like to show everyone (and prove to ourselves) that our cuisine can stand head and shoulders among the best cuisines of the world.

Since opening XO46 a few months ago, we’ve been extremely encouraged with the reviews we’ve been getting from fellow Pinoys and foreigners alike. To us, the message is clear—Filipino cuisine, in its purest form, can be made just as elegant, visually enticing and delectably complex as their Japanese or Thai counterparts. It is a cuisine that can be acceptable even to foreign palates.

Sandee and I continue to dream. We hope to follow the footsteps of Nora Daza as she boldly brought Filipino cuisine to Paris in the ’70s via her restaurant, Aux Iles Philippines. Her elegant Filipino eatery was eventually named among the top five restaurants in a city considered the epicenter of the culinary world. We also hope to emulate Romy and Amy Besa, owners of the critically renowned Cendrillon and Purple Yam restaurants in New York City. In the same manner, Sandee and I dream of bringing XO46 with its slow-cooked kare-kare, binagoongan sa gata, sugpo sa aligue and kinunot na lapu lapu to Spain, Canada, Australia and the U.K. The world deserves to know how extraordinary Filipino food is. Heck, it never hurt anyone to dream big! christmas flowers canadablogs .

For those curious about the name of our place, “XO” stands for Extraordinary, and “46” is representative of the year we gained colonial independence and became a self-governing republic. We’d like to think that the Filipino is becoming more and more extraordinary as we shave away the neurosis that centuries of colonization has brought us.

With purity and pride

We’ve been told many times that our food is too oily, too brown, too salty and too exotic to be acceptable in the global food scene. They say it needs to be “westernized” to be palatable, let alone appreciated by foreigners. Our experience has proven this to be false. Based on what we’ve seen in our travels and talks with fellow food experts, Filipino food can stand on its own just as it is with a little bit of creative plating.

I’ve had long discussions about this with my good friend, Sandy Daza. He concurs and even recounts how dinuguan was the best seller at the fine dining room of Aux Iles Philippines. Glenda Baretto, the country’s grand dame of cuisine, also agrees as she narrated how lumpiang sariwa and pansit luglog turned out to be the biggest food hit at the Seville World Expo in Spain.

First-hand experiences from food icons like Daza and Baretto show that being “distinct and exotic” is a good thing—an asset that provides character and soul to any cuisine. Think about it—who would have ever thought that Malaysian Laksa, Indonesian Sate, Japanese Sashimi and Thai Fish Head Curry would be just as acceptable in the west as Burritos, Pastas and Fish ’n Chips?

Filipino cuisine has evolved over the centuries based on the produce that the land had provided our ancestors and the cooking methods they’ve learned along the way. Our flavors are distinct, complex and are a reflection of who we are as a people. Even better, our 300 years of exposure to Spanish cuisine has made our food even more interesting. We have all the reason to showcase it with pride and by no means be apologetic for it.

Since Christmas is just six days away, my Christmas wish is to have the world experience the extraordinary qualities of our cuisine and appreciate it for what it is. I wish to one day see the man on the street in Johannesburg, Cairo, Lisbon and Antwerp enjoy a bowl of beef pares or batchoy for lunch as if it were the most ordinary thing to do. Merry Christmas, everyone!

XO46 is located at the ground floor, Le Grand Building 130 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati. Tel. no. (2) 553-6632.

Andrew is an economist, political analyst and businessman. He is a 20-year veteran in the hospitality and tourism industry. For comments and reactions, e-mail andrew_rs6@yahoo.com.

Military Police Light 19 Wing Christmas Tree For Blindness Fund - Christmas Flowers Canada

With the press of a button, members of 12 Military Police Flight brought some holiday cheer to 19 Wing Comox, as they lit up their 20th-annual 'christmas flowers canada Tree of Lights.'

The yuletide display is just one of several initiatives across Canada to raise awareness of the Military Police Fund for Blind Children (MPFBC).

"The Blind Fund is very dear to our military police members and we are proud to donate our time and efforts to making the Fund a success," said Capt. Raul Hollmayer, 12 Military Police Flight commander.

"We hope that this tree will encourage people to support blind children in need during the holidays and throughout the year."

The fund was founded in 1957 by Col. James Stone, whose own daughter lost her sight due to cancer of the eye. Stone was struck by the financial difficulties that often faced other blind children, their families and organizations that struggled to help them, and he founded the MPFBC as a result.

Today the MPFBC supports blind children and young adults (up to age 21), as well as organizations that specialize in the recreation and education of blind children. One hundred percent of funds raised are put back into the community. The MPFBC is run and managed by Military Police volunteers and remains unique as Canada's only military charity.

For more information on the Military Police Fund for Blind Children, visit http: //mpfbc. com/index_e.html.

© Copyright (c) Postmedia News christmas flowers canada blogs .

It’s Boxing Day ... 10 days early - Christmas Flowers Canada

It’s only mid-December, but for many shoppers it’s already the day after christmas flowers canada .

Retail stores are increasingly holding pre-holiday blow-out sales, with discounts of up to 40 or 50 per cent or more off regular and even sale prices.

“I just got some fantastic deals,” Williams Lake resident Mitch Pelletier said on Robson Street Thursday. “Everything was 40 per cent off at American Eagle. It’s like a gold mine in there. We bought tons of stuff.”

Pelletier, who was shopping with sister Lynn Slater from Comox, mother Carolyn Pelletier from Calgary, and their six Pomeranians, was one of many people on the popular retail street taking advantage of deals typically associated with Boxing Day.

Analysts say one reason for the sharply reduced pricing is larger retailers selling off bigger-than-expected inventories, forcing other retailers to follow suit.

Others maintain there are several factors, primarily the fact that shoppers are increasingly cost-savvy and retailers have to provide low prices to compete.

They also say the sales are across the board, encompassing clothing, electronics and most things in between.

Some examples?

Gap Canada is offering up to 60 per cent off on clothing, while Banana Republic is offering 40 per cent off your entire purchase until Sunday (Dec. 18).

Over at Eddie Bauer, some items have a 50-per-cent discount, with clearance items up to 70 per cent off.

However, the pre-christmas flowers canada blogs sales aren’t expected to impact Boxing Day, although shoppers shouldn’t expect – for most items, at least – even bigger markdowns on that frenzied shopping day.

“It’s panic,” retail analyst David Ian Gray, of DIG360 Consulting Ltd., said in an interview. “Retailers have too much inventory and they’re scared there won’t be a lift in sales between now and Christmas. They’re trying to move stuff.

“They bought product many months in advance and there’s less demand than they expected.”

Gray said other retailers – especially in shopping malls — have to follow suit in order to sell product.

“Traditionally, demand wanes after Boxing Day [and] if they go to the New Year with 2011 product, especially clothing, they know they’ll sit on it for months and will have to liquidate it.”

As well, he added: “Consumers are hyper-aware on pricing.”

However, Mark Startup, president and CEO of Shelfspace, which represents retail entrepreneurs in B.C. and Alberta, believes there’s other factors at play.

“Certainly, in any economy, some retailers have too much inventory.

“But it’s not a universal scenario. Retailers offering discounts before Christmas are doing so for strategic reasons, which may include reducing inventory levels, but more so to be competitive in a market where consumers have become very thoughtful and pragmatic in their purchasing.

“They have a lot of choice. They can shop online, they can cross-border shop, and they can shop in their communities.

“They’re offering deals before Christmas to address this and they will continue to do so through Boxing Day.”

Startup also noted that there has been slow growth in retail sales, and that it will continue through the holidays.

He said not everyone is offering the big pre-Christmas discounts and that some are still saving their biggest deals for Boxing Day.

“Consumers will still flock to stores on Boxing Day. There will be some tremendous deals.”

Gray agreed, saying that deep pre-Christmas sales have been gathering steam for the past two or three years, and that the trend “trains shoppers to wait for that moment.

“Generally, [prices] will not be much lower on Boxing Day. There will be deep discounts on the door-crashers and a lot of things with 10 per cent off. But I think you’ll see that it will be much the same. But people like to do the Boxing Day thing. It’s still the biggest single day for retailers.”

Mirand Law, owner of Mimosa Accessories, an imitation jewelry store on Robson Street, said all her regular items are 50 per cent off and select items are 70 per cent off.

“There’s fewer people on Robson this year,” she noted. “Robson traffic is not that good.”

Law said discounts on Robson are greater than last year with more Canadians shopping in the U.S. “[Shoppers] are very smart and they check the price first.”

bmorton@vancouversun.com

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

Community Calendar – Issue of Dec. 15, 2011 - Christmas Flowers Canada

DONATE BACKYARD PRODUCE – The Backyard produce collection to help families in need in 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15 at the Seven Oaks Community Center, 16789 Bernardo Oaks Drive, Rancho Bernardo and the Connection Church, 14047 Twin Peaks Road, Poway. For more details or help with picking, email jradatz@att.net or call 858-485-5449.

DISCOVERY OF DIAMOND MINES – Chris McCarthy of Ben Bridge Jewelers discusses the recent discovery of diamond mines in Canada, making them the third largest producer of diamonds in the world, at a meeting of the Rancho Bernardo Rotary Club at noon Thursday, Dec. 15 at the Bernardo Heights Country Club, 16006 Bernardo Heights Parkway.

WAR IN IRAQ – The book “Iraq: The War That Shouldn’t Be, You Decide” is discussed by the author Magetta M. Chantiloupe at a meeting of the World Affairs Council at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 15 at the Remington Club II, 16916 Hierba Drive, Rancho Bernardo. For more details, call 760-855-1641.

HOLIDAY NIGHTS – Bernardo Winery’s Holiday Nights begins a four-night run 4 to 8 p.m. Dec. 15-18 at the winery, 13330 Paseo del Verano, Rancho Bernardo. A tradition of strolling carolers, carriage rides, music, twinkling lights and Santa and Mrs. Claus fill the village.

FRIDAY, DEC. 16

‘BETHLEHEM VILLAGE’ – North City Presbyterian Church, 11717 Poway Road, Poway, presents “Bethlehem Village” 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 and Saturday, Dec. 17. The free event recreates first century Bethlehem including the census, Roman guards, nativity show, petting zoo, llama rides, kids activities and music. For more details, call 858-748-4642 or visit www.northcitychurch.com/bv/.

TIMELINE UNVEILING – The Rancho Bernardo Historical Society timeline is unveiled at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 at the museum in the Bernardo Winery, 13330 Paseo del Verano, Rancho Bernardo. This is part of Rancho Bernardo’s 50th anniversary celebration.

RB CHORALE HOLIDAY SHOW – The RB Chorale presents its annual holiday show, “Tis the Holiday Season,” 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 and Saturday, Dec. 18, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19 at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road. Featured is christmas flowers canada , Hanukkah and patriotic music, along with the traditional “Hallelujah Chorus.” Tickets are $5 to $30 and are available at www.rbchorale.org. Proceeds support the chorale’s scholarship fund.

POWAY WINTERFEST – An artificial ice skating rink, snow on Saturday, food, arts and crafts and entertainment will fill Poway Community Park, 13094 Civic Center Drive, during Winterfest 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16; 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17, Sunday, Dec. 18 and Monday, Dec. 19. For more information, visit www.poway.org.

ZUMBA CLASS – A free Zumba Gold class 11:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16 at the Poway Library, 13137 Poway Road. All welcome.

SATURDAY, DEC. 17

LUNCH WITH SANTA – Have lunch with Santa 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Carmel Mountain Ranch/Sabre Springs Recreation Center, 10152 Rancho Carmel Drive. The event includes lunch, arts and crafts and a photo with Santa. Tickets are $8. For more information, call 858-538-8100.

COUPONING WORKSHOP – Learn how to use coupons to get big bargains at a free couponing workshop 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Poway Library, 13137 Poway Road.

BLUE SKY HIKE – Engage all senses while exploring the Blue Sky Reserve with docent Teresa Bullock. The hike begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17. Meet at the south end of the parking lot on Espola Road, near Old Coach in Poway. For details call 858-668-4781.

SUNDAY, DEC. 18

CHANUKAH FUNZONE 2011 – Chabad of Poway presents Chanukah Funzone 2011, offering fun for all ages, is 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 18-21 at 16934 Chabad Way. This year’s event features giant inflatables, arts and crafts, fresh hot food, a Chanukah Superstore, kids entertainment and more. For more information, visit www.ChanukahFunZone.com or call 858-212-2292.

PLANTS ON THE WILD SIDE- Learn about the nature of wild plants from docent Ale Franklin on a hike through the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve at 9 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 18. Meet at the south end of the parking lot on Espola Road, near Old Coach in Poway. For details, call 858-668-4781.

TUESDAY, DEC. 20

THE GIVING OFFICE – Curtis Dadian, founder of The Giving Office, explains how combining buying office supplies with charitable giving has changed his life at the Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary meeting at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20 at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo, 12280 Greens East Road, Rancho Bernardo. More details at www.rbsunrise.org.

THURSDAY, DEC. 22

A LOOK AT PAKISTAN – Don Gragg reviews the book “Pakistan: A Hard Country” by British journalist Anatol Lieven at a meeting of the World Affairs Council at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 22 at the Remington Club II, 16916 Hierba Drive, Rancho Bernardo. For more details, call 760-855-1641.

HEARTSAVER FIRST AID – Learn the general principles of first aid, and how to handle injury and other emergencies at a class offered by Palomar Pomerado Health 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 22 at Pomerado Hospital, 15615 Pomerado Road, Poway. Fee: $45. To register, call 800-628-2880 or visit www.pph.org/classes.

THURSDAY, DEC. 29

ISLAMIZATION OF EUROPE – The book “The Dark Side of the Crescent Moon: The Islamization of Europe” is discussed by author Georgy Gounev at a meeting of the World Affairs Council at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 29 at the Remington Club II, 16916 Hierba Drive, Rancho Bernardo. For more details, call 760-855-1641.

SATURDAY, DEC. 31

HIKE TO RAMONA DAM – Join naturalist Celeste Larson for a 4.3-mile round-trip hike through the Blue Sky Reserve to the Ramona Dam. The hike begins at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. Meet at the south end of the parking lot on Espola Road, near Old Coach in Poway. For details call 858-668-4781.

SUNDAY, JAN. 1

DOG WALKING HIKES – Start the new year by hitting the trail with man’s best friend starting at 8 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 1 at the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve, 16275 Espola Road, Poway. Walks will occur the first Sunday of each month through March. Dogs must be well-behaved and restrained on a leash. For more information, call 858-668-4781.

MONDAY, JAN. 2

SHAPE UP BY HIKING – Join other hikers at Blue Sky Ecological Reserve for their annual Six Weeks to Ramoma Dam weekly hikes starting at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 2. Distance and fitness level will gradually increase over six weeks, culminating in a hike to Ramona Dam. Meet in the south parking lot off Espola Road in Poway. For more information, call 858-668-4781 or email bluesky@poway.org.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 4

DIVORCE CARE – A divorce recovery program, Divorce Care, starts a 13-week session 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4 at The Church at Rancho Bernardo, 11740 Bernardo Plaza Court. The program includes guest speakers live and on video, workbooks and testimonies. Sign up with Debbie Covington at 858-673-1252.

THURSDAY, JAN. 5

WOMEN’S SELF-DEFENSE CLASS – A self-defense class for women 16 and over is 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5 at the Poway Community Center, 13094 Civic Center Drive. Participants will learn important safety tips and easy to use self-defense techniques. Cost is $10 for Poway residents and $20 for non-residents. For more information or to register, call 858 668-4595 or go to www.poway.org.

RB WOMAN’S CLUB – Q4TAY, a women’s barbershop quartet of Sweet Adelines International entertain at a Rancho Bernardo Woman’s Club luncheon 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 5 at the Rancho Bernardo Inn, 17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive. Guest welcome. Cost is $26. Make reservations by Monday, Jan. 2 by calling 858-385-9073.

SUNDAY, JAN. 8

POST-HOLIDAY CONCERT – A concert of Renaissance sacred music celebrating the season will be present by the vocal ensemble Pacific Camerata at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 8 at San Rafael Catholic Church, 17252 Bernardo Center Drive, Rancho Bernardo. A free-will offering will be taken. For more information, call 858-487-4314, ext. 1225.

MONDAY, JAN. 9

BETTER BREATHERS CLUB – The Better Breathers Club’s monthly meeting features speaker Susan Mann discussing diagnostic testing for chronic lung disease at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 9 in the auditorium of the Seven Oaks Community Center, 16789 Bernardo Oaks Drive. Call Dale Swank at 858-487-7739 for more information.

SATURDAY, JAN. 14

SHRED-A-THON – Rancho Bernardo High School PTSA is hosting a Shred-A-Thon and Free E-Waste Drop-Off Fundraiser 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14 at the lower parking lot at Casa De La Campanas, 18655 West Bernardo Drive. Donations benefit programs sponsored by the RBHS PTSA.

POWAY CERT TRAINING – A nine-session Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training for Poway residents begins Saturday, Jan. 14 and runs through March 24 at Fire Station #3, 14322 Pomerado Road and the training tower, 12335 Crosthwaite Circle. Times are 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Free. To apply, call 858-668-4460.

SUNDAY, JAN. 15

MAH JONGG TOURNAMENT – Enjoy five rounds of mah jongg, continental breakfast, lunch, favors and prizes at a Mah Jongg Tournament starting at 8:45 a.m. at Temple Adat Shalom, 15905 Pomerado Road, Poway. Register on or before Jan. 6 for $36; Jan. 7-13, $40. No walk-ins on day of event. For more details, visit www.adatshalom.com, email info@adatshalom.com or call 858-451-1200.

SUNDAY, JAN. 22

MISS SAN DIEGO PAGEANT – The Miss San Diego Pageant and Scholarship Association is hosting its 2012 competition at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22 at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15948 Espola Road. Tickets are $31. For tickets, email tickets@misssandiego.org or call 619-985-6415.

THURSDAY, JAN. 26

RB COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING – Rancho Bernardo Community Council holds its monthly full board meeting featuring a representative from the Burn Institute at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26 at a new location, the Oaks North Community Center, 12578 Oaks North Drive. All meetings are open to the public christmas flowers canada blogs .

Canadian Christmas presents changed thousands of lives - Christmas Flowers Canada

LUSAKA, Zambia, Dec. 12, 2011 -- /PRNewswire/ - It is like a happy ending to a holiday movie for a grateful mother in Zambia, who safely cradles her child. Juanet Milimo is one of hundreds of people provided with much-needed medical help at a new clinic in Zambia. This support was made possible by creative Canadians who used the World Vision Gift Catalogue to give thoughtful gifts to their loved ones.  The medical clinic is kept fully stocked, thanks to supplies received through the Stock a Medical Clinic present in the gift catalogue.

Milimo proudly holds her four-month-old daughter, the first child born in the clinic, which was opened in July. She had complications with her previous pregnancies and had serious concerns when she became pregnant last year. When she went into labour in July, she was able to go to the clinic. Access to medical treatment made all the difference, ensuring a safe delivery.

Milimo says, "I thank God that they helped me; otherwise I could have died."

In addition to maternal health, the clinic deals with a variety of medical issues. Beaulah Jembo, a community health worker, emphasizes how important it is to keep it stocked. "We treat malaria, diarrhea, intestinal worms and many other diseases," Explains Jembo. She says the community has a lower mortality rate because of these treatments. Jembo adds she is thankful to Canadians for their help, "they have saved a lot of lives."

A recent survey released by Harris Decima for World Vision indicates 74 per cent of Canadians would prefer to receive a gift that would help someone in need, rather than a traditional gift like clothing or electronics. Last year Canadians gave more than 9,900 Stock a Medical Clinic gifts, an ideal present for someone who is passionate about health.

Visit christmas flowers canada  for information on World Vision Gift Catalogue gifts that change lives. With more than 90 charitable gifts to choose from it is easy to find something that would make a fun and thoughtful gift, personalized to what matters most to the gift receiver.

World Vision is a leading Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Inspired by our Christian values, we are dedicated to working with the world's most vulnerable people. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

SOURCE World Vision Canada

Video with caption: "Video: Canadian presents change lives in Zambia". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20111212_C5046_VIDEO_EN_8164.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20111212_C5046_PHOTO_EN_8164.jpg&clientName=World%20Vision%20Canada&caption=Video%3A%20Canadian%20presents%20change%20lives%20in%20Zambia&title=Canadian%20presents%20change%20lives%20in%20Zambia&headline=Canadian%20Christmas%20presents%20changed%20thousands%20of%20lives

Image with  christmas flowers canada blogs caption: "Juanet Milimo is one of hundreds of people provided with much needed medical help at a new clinic in Zambia. Medical supplies in this clinic, provided by Canadians through the World Vision Gift Catalogue, helped protect her life and the life of her daughter (CNW Group/World Vision Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20111212_C5046_PHOTO_EN_7976.jpg

Image with caption: "Beaulah Jembo, a community health worker at a clinic in Zambia, examines medical supplies provided to her clinic by Canadians through the World Vision Gift Catalogue. According to Jembo these medical supplies have lowered mortality rates in her community. (CNW Group/World Vision Canada)". Image available at:

Historical decor for Christmas - Christmas Flowers Canada

As you're decking the halls christmas flowers canada  and making merry, string up a few locals in your décor. From north to south and sea to sea, the Americas have a host of plants that add perfection to garlands, swags, and centerpieces. Beyond pine cones and evergreens, celebrate the season with a touch of New World history. Here are three to include in your designs.

Nothing perks up holiday style quite like something sprung from a bog. Yet the American cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is one of the classics of the season. Native to America, it ranges from Canada to the Appalachian Mountains and westward into Wisconsin. The rambling perennial vine thrives in temperate climates, sending out 6-foot long runners that blanket the ground in a dense mat. Upright shoots spring from this mat, holding aloft the flowers and crimson fruit of this colorful berry.

The boggy soil it needs is comprised of alternating layers of sand and organic matter, such as dead leaves and roots in a wet area. Left undisturbed, the layers form the perfect place for cranberries to grow. Actively growing from March through October, in cultivation the bogs are kept well-drained, then flooded to aid in harvest. Some fruit is harvested dry, but since it's labor-intensive, flood harvesting is more common. Once there is 6 to 8 inches of water above the vines, water reel harvesters are driven through the bog in ever-widening spirals to pluck the fruit, letting it float to the surface where it is corralled and collected for processing.

Native Americans treasured this fruit, using it for dyes, food, and medicine, teaching the Pilgrims to value the crimson berry. A super source of vitamin C, sailors took cranberries on their voyages to stave off scurvy. Captain Henry Hall of Massachusetts is credited with the first cultivation of the berry in 1816.

String the berries into garlands, fill the lower half of clear glass candle holders with them, or float some in water along with votive candles for drama on the table. Gather the kids together to show them how fresh cranberries bounce when you drop them.

Central America gets into the act through popcorn, from which balls and strands are strung. Its small, hard-shelled kernels made it difficult to grind into flour, and thus was a less favorable food crop for Native Americans. But in the 1820s seed companies began marketing popcorn as a novelty crop, and New Englanders, starved for entertainment, took joy in exploding food and purchased seed to grow.  christmas flowers canada blogs Popcorn became wildly popular just after the Civil War served plain or as a popcorn ball. Whip up a few popcorn balls, and you're giving your family an historical treat more than a century old.

Petite fruit needn't be confined to berries if you nestle a few Seckel pears into a garlanded mantel or pop them into a centerpiece -- the tiny, chubby, red-blushed pear is an adorable accent. As a bonus, Seckels are a delicious snack, so if dinner is delayed, invite your guests to graze from the decorations.

Much debate surrounds the provenance of the Seckel, which some argue is the only pear native to America. Other experts pooh-pooh this, convinced that European immigrants dropped it, Johnny Appleseed-like, as they crossed the country. Either way, it's one of our historical fruits, discovered around 1760 near Philadelphia.

Firm fleshed and spicy-sweet, if you want a Seckel to last through the holiday, look for those that are glossy-skinned with a light red cast. As it ripens, the red color deepens and the skin takes on a matte finish. Avoid those without stems; they'll rot quickly and ruin the decor.

Holiday Greeting Card Apps - Christmas Flowers Canada

DAILY DOT COM - If you think E-cards and Facebook killed the traditional christmas flowers canada card, think again. These days smartphones and tablets are making it even easier than ever to send a Christmas card.

If you are thinking about giving it a try, here 's a look at some of the new apps that lets users nix the holiday pilgrimage to the post office.

1. The Red Stamp for iPhone and iPad - The application offers an assortment of holiday templates for christmas flowers canada blogs and Hanuakkah to customize. Users select a photo, then add a message and choose a delivery method - either email, text message, Facebook, Twitter or U.S. mail. There's also a checklist that helps you track of the friends and family members you send the cards to. Premium designs start at $.49 - $1.99/card, $.29 postage included.

2. The Sincerely Inc. Holiday Card for Android and iPad - Features 30 photo cards and designs for holidays including options for a family photo. Download the app then choose a theme, create your message and send your greeting cards directly from your tablet. The entire process, according to Sincerely, takes about two minutes. Cards are printed on heavyweight postcards at 300dpi resolution for around $1.69 each, including postage, and take an average of a week to reach any destination in the U.S or Canada.

3. Cards for Apple - Lets users create personalized greeting cards from their iPod touch or iPhone. There are 21 different designs to choose from.  And once you've created your card you can There's also location integration where you can chose a photo with GPS data and the card shows the name of the place where the picture was taken. Choose from 21 designs lets iPad users design, create and send a card for $2.99 including postage and delivery. Users can choose from 15 holiday templates, enter their own text and photo, and add a message.  

4. Postagram app for iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad - Lets you pull photos from your Camera Roll and Facebook—but any image you choose for the postcard will be cropped to square format. You can then add a short message (180 characters max) and a profile picture that will be printed next to your name. Price: $1 per card

5. The PhotoCard for iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad - Create and send postcards to multiple recipients. But with this app, the photograph takes center stage. You can’t add any text or borders to the image on the front of the postcard. You can choose from dozens of fonts and change the font size of your message. The app also includes around 400 stickers - little themed illustrations - that you can use to decorate your card. Once you’ve finished your masterpiece, you can send the card via email, or by mail. In terms of pricing, it's under $2.00 per card shipped in the U.S.

Canadian PoW unimpressed by Japanese apology - Christmas Flowers canada

Japan apologized Thursday for the harsh mistreatment of Canadian prisoners of war after the disastrous Battle of Hong Kong in the Second World War.

For one Canadian who was imprisoned in Japan during the war, however, the belated apology isn't worth much.

``Apologies don't mean a thing. There's no money in apologies and you can't eat 'em,'' said John Ford, now a resident of St. John's, who spent 3 1/2 years in a Japanese PoW camp in Nagasaki as a forced labourer. ``At my stage in the game, there's not a thing they can do for me.

``They were requested to do it years ago, and they refused point blank, they wouldn't acknowledge it,'' said Ford who was seven kilometres from ground zero, working on the Nagasaki dockyard when an atomic bomb levelled the city on Aug. 9, 1945. Since then, he has had four operations for skin cancer, a consequence of his exposure to the blast's radiation.

Toshiyuki Kato, Japan's parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs, delivered the apology in Tokyo Thursday on the 70th anniversary of Japan's invasion of Hong Kong in 1941.

Ford was with the Royal Air Force in Singapore when the invading Japanese army captured the British stronghold in February 1942.

He escaped to Sumatra and, when that country fell, escaped again to Java. There his luck ran out and he was captured in March of that year.

On Thursday, he questioned why the apology was only for prisoners who were captured in Hong Kong.

``Conditions in every prison camp were very similar, there wasn't a great lot of difference, starvation and beatings and everything like that,'' he said.

Another Canadian PoW agreed the apology is of little value to those who survived the camps - but it might be very important for the Japanese people.

``The apology is of little value to us,'' said Toronto's George MacDonell, an 89-year-old veteran who chronicled some of his experiences in his book, One Soldier's Story. ``Almost all the Canadian veterans of (the Battle of) Hong Kong either died in the camps, on the battlefield or have died since.

``But the real good news about this is that this apology may signal that the Japanese people are finally going to admit, instead of denying, their behaviour in Southeast Asia during World War Two.

``I don't think any culture can ever be healthy if it denies whole, major parts of its existence.''

After the Allied forces surrendered Hong Kong on christmas flowers canada Day 1941, the Japanese kept thousands of prisoners for the next four years. That included about 1,700 Canadians, who suffered beatings and malnutrition and were treated as slaves during their time in captivity.

Almost 300 Canadians were killed and 500 wounded in the 17 1/2 days of battle up to that point. Another 267 died in Japanese custody.

MacDonell said he suffered his share of ordeals, including one incident in which he was almost beaten to death by four Japanese guards for defending a comrade accused of stealing food (which he actually did).

However, it's not himself or other combatants MacDonell feels are most deserving of an apology, but rather the scores of civilians who were brutalized or murdered by Japanese soldiers during the war. This includes the millions of Chinese who were killed and Korean women who were captured and turned into sex slaves.

``As soldiers, we didn't really expect to be treated like Sunday school teachers,'' MacDonell said.

One atrocity that stands out for MacDonell happened during the final stages of the Battle of Hong Kong, when Japanese forces stormed a hospital near where he was stationed and bayonetted wounded Canadians who were being treated, killed doctors and raped and dismembered nurses.

A Canadian historian said the apology is ``extremely significant'' since explicit expressions of guilt for things done during the war are rare from Japan.

``It's an extremely significant event in that respect, and of course it's extremely significant to both the surviving veterans, of whom there are somewhere around 30, and to the families of those who died during the war and have died since,'' said Nathan Greenfield, writer of The Damned, a book released last year that details Canadians' involvement in the Battle of Hong Kong and their subsequent treatment in PoW camps.

Greenfield, a resident of Ottawa, said the battle marked the worst-ever outcome for the Canadian military - every military person involved was either killed, wounded, missing or captured.

The treatment these soldiers endured after that battle was also unprecedented in Canada's military history, he said.

``The word `hellish' doesn't describe it,'' Greenfield said. ``They were starved, they were beaten, they were turned into slave labourers.''

Some of the specific things Canadian soldiers endured, Greenfield said, including one soldier having lit cigarettes shoved in his nostrils with his mouth taped shut, another being forced outside in the freezing cold without clothing and others losing up to 45 kilograms due to lack of food.

The Japanese mostly refused to provide medical treatment for PoWs suffering from injuries or sickness, Greenfield added, contributing to the hundreds of in-custody deaths of Canadians and health problems others suffered when they returned home.

Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney, who accompanied a delegation of veterans to Japan for the apology, said in a statement: ``This important gesture is a crucial step in ongoing reconciliation and a significant milestone in the lives of all prisoners of war. It acknowledges their suffering while honouring their sacrifices and courage.''

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird added that the apology would help in healing the ``terrible pain and heavy burden of the Second World War.''

With files from Robert Hiltz, Postmedia News

dabma@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/derekabma

© Copyright (c) Postmedia News christmas flowers canada blogs .

12 things you need to know about buying a real Christmas tree (plus 6 tree facts) - Christmas Flowers Canada

If you’ve already won the “real versus fake” tree argument for another year and plan to bring some Ontario nature indoors, the tree experts have some tips.

 • Ask the people selling the trees when they were cut. christmas flowers canada tree farms start cutting at the end of November, Jessica Kaknevicius, program manager of the Ontario Forestry Association, told the Star on Wednesday. Check the base for sap, a sign of a more recent cut. If it looks dried, don’t buy it.

 • Bounce the tree on the ground. If needles fall off, it’s too dry.

Even if it’s wrapped, said Kaknevicius, you should be able to see if needles drop or are brown.

 • Bend a needle. If it forms a U without breaking, it’s not too dry.

 • Check the top of the tree to see if it’s full, a good sign of health.

 • Spruce, pine and fir are the most popular. Spruce tend to drop its needles first and fir, last.

 • When you get it home, water it as much as it needs to keep the holder or bucket full.

“A lot of trees will survive for as long as you water them.”

 • Saw off about 2 cm from the bottom of the trunk when you get it home and before you set it up to let the tree suck in more water.

 • Keep the tree away from direct heat.

 • Even if your city or town will recycle the tree, take some branches for garden mulch first.

 • From a farm and environmental point of view, the best buy is a live tree you can plant in the spring, Kaknevicius said. If you’re going to plant it, keep it in the garage until spring.

 • Mould shouldn’t be a problem with a tree in a house for the holiday season, said Kaknevicius. If you get a skin irritation from one type of evergreen, try another.

 •  You can tell how old the tree is by counting the whorls of branches that start around a tree trunk. Each year will have its own whorl. Five to six-foot trees are usually about 12 years old.

And some tree facts:

 • About 1 million people in Ontario and from 3 to 6 million in Canada will buy and decorate a live tree during the holidays, Kaknevicius said.

Another 1.8 million Canadian trees are exported.

 • Those tiny, two-foot condo trees turning up in supermarkets are actually an environmental advantage for the tree farmer.

Farmers normally thin out the smaller trees to give space to the ones that will grow for about 12 years to get to traditional christmas flowers canada blogs tree height, said Kaknevicius. The condo market has given them an outlet to sell rather than mulch the little ones.

 • The Christmas tree market in Canada was a $65 million business in 2008 and a $34 million export market, according to Statistics Canada.

 • Ontario had 725 of the 2,461 Christmas tree farms in Canada in 2006.

 • One acre of planted Christmas trees produces oxygen for 18 people every day, the OFA says. After Christmas the trees are mulched and are used in municipal parks.

 • Drug companies in Ontario also extract ingredients from tree needles for flu vaccines, the OFA said.

Merry Christmas OK with Canadians: poll - Christmas Flowers canada

OTTAWA - Merry Christmas! At least, that's what you're likely to hear from fellow Canadians in the coming weeks, according to a new poll.

An overwhelming majority of people across Canada - 76% - are more likely to use that greeting instead of the generic happy holidays and seasons greetings, indicates an Abacus Data poll on how Canadians celebrate 
christmas flowers canada .

That number held in most provinces except Quebec, where the French-language 'Joyeuse fetes' is common parlance and preferred by 38% of respondents.

"We've been told we have to be politically correct," said pollster David Coletto.

"But Canadians have told us they're comfortable using merry Christmas."

The majority of Canadians - 52% - also celebrate christmas flowers canada blogs as a secular holiday, while just 40% of respondents say they pay special attention to Dec. 25 for religious reasons.

It's a statistic that doesn't surprise Queen's University English literature professor Heather Evans.

"If you look back far enough, what we think of as Christmas celebrations were not specifically religious," she said "They were actually secular holidays designed to celebrate the change in the seasons."

Evans noted the Christian church only acknowledged Christmas in the fourth century and that many cultural, economic and social forces contributed to forming the celebrations into the "mish-mash" it is now.

It was the 17th-century Puritans who disapproved of the rowdiness - "misrule, topsy-turvey, cross-dressing, all kinds of histrionics" - linked to earlier Christmas festivities, said Evans.

"The Puritans were not fans of Christmas, so their influence was shown in the shift emphasizing Christmas as an occasion to go to church, and not to eat. It was a fast day, not a feast day."

But if the Puritans are no longer putting a damper on Christmas, the global financial crisis still might.

Only nine per cent of those polled suggested they would be spending more on gifts than last year, and 30% said they'd be spending less.

"Christmas is not immune to the tough economic times," Coletto noted.

"There's still a large chunk of Canadians who say they will cut back."

Still, Coletto said the holiday, with its traditions, celebrations and decorations, isn't going anywhere.

"Christmas with a capital 'C' is alive and well within Canada," he said.

The online survey polled 1,004 respondents between Dec. 2 and Dec. 4. Since it is an online poll, a margin of error could not be calculated.

Christmas Flowers Canada - No Christmas decor at Quebec Service Canada offices

Service Canada sent out a memo last month advising that christmas flowers canada decorations should not be on public display at its Quebec offices.

According to a Friday report from La Presse, the memo came from Marc Simoneau and was sent to each of Service Canada's 118 Quebec offices.

Simoneau is the head of Service Canada in Quebec.

The memo said that decorations should not be displayed in places that the public would see or have access to.

But they could be displayed in employee-only areas, provided that they did not pose a safety hazard and were in good taste.

In the House of Commons Friday, Human Resources Minister Diane Finley said there is no national directive to ban decorations, and she added that as the government, "we like christmas flowers canada blogs ."

Finley's comments were in response to boisterous questioning from MPs, which forced the Speaker to call for order at one point.

Despite the holiday endorsement, Finley didn't specifically say if she would order the offices to reverse the decision to ban decorations.

CTV Montreal reporter Rob Lurie said the head of the union that represents Service Canada workers in Quebec is supportive of the contents of the decorations memo.

"The union does agree with this, saying that it will greatly cut down on complaints from people who find religious symbols to be offensive," he said.

Lurie also reported that there currently aren't any Christmas decorations up at the main Service Canada building in Montreal, despite similar displays at many other prominent public buildings in the city.

"Apparently there is no problem at Montreal City Hall, where people seem to love those decorations, nor at the Sainte-Justine hospital where they are putting a giant tree today," Lurie said.

"And there's no problem across the street at Complexe Desjardins where they have a tremendous Christmas village, which people I spoke to there say they absolutely love."

Christmas Flowers Canada - Paula’s Advent Calendar – Please Open Door Number One!

When I was a kid, growing up in a multicultural family, we always celebrated Hanukkah. We always celebrated christmas flowers canada  . And we always celebrated Advent – when my Great Uncle Edmund would fashion a homemade wreath out of fresh-cut pine boughs, so we could light the Advent candles.

My Oma would take the bus across the river to Whyte Avenue, back in the days before it was trendy, when it was Edmonton’s German immigrant neighbourhood, more known for its aufschnitt delis and orthopedic shoe shops than its bars and theatres. She’s come back with beautiful advent calendars, imported from Germany, for each of her grandchildren. We would count down the days till christmas flowers canada blogs , opening each numbered door or window. Back then, there were no chocolates or candies to find – we were young enough to be excited to see a picture of a little teddy bear or candle.

The advent calendar was a great way for kids to count down the days till Christmas. Back then, of course, I looked forward to Christmas Eve with unadulterated glee. These days, when I have to host some two dozen guests for dinner, I count down the days in a frame of mind more akin to a military operation. Only 24 days to clean the house, buy the gifts, decorate the living room, organize the menu.

Either way, the advent calendar ritual can bring a little calm to the chaos – to either fuel your holiday excitement or help you achieve the necessary Zen state to host a successful Christmas celebration.

In that spirit, I propose to create, this year, an on-line advent calendar of my own. Each day in the lead-up to Christmas (and Hanukkah) I’m going to post a different vintage holiday column or story on The Edmonton Commons blog. Most, I think, will be from my own “collection” – but I’ll mix things up a little with some terrific pieces from Christmas past by my Journal colleagues, past and present. Most of all, I’ll choose pieces that are funny or touching or memorable….to me, at least, and I hope for you, as well.

I’ll begin our holiday count-down with the first Christmas column I ever wrote…in the memory of my wild and wonderful Oma.

Here it is, from December of 1998. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

It’s a mystery with a holiday twist: The case of the disappearing mice.

If you lived in Edmonton in the late ’60s or early ’70s, you’ll remember the mechanical mice who frolicked in the windows of the Hudson’s Bay store on Jasper Avenue. Children pressed their noses to the windows to watch toy mice, dressed in intricate costumes, living and working in a miniature town. In one scene, mice ran an old-fashioned dry goods store. In another, a mouse cobbler made tiny shoes, while mouse tailors sewed little dresses.

Every Christmas, my grandmother would take me down to the Bay to see the mice. Schools brought kids on field trips. Even when the store was closed, in the evenings and on Sundays afternoon, families came to see the display.

“It was the family thing to do,” says Bob Nimmon. “Just as people now go to Candy Cane Lane, people went downtown and looked at those windows. And those windows were extremely good … very well done.”

Nimmon owns Mayfair Shoes, in Edmonton Centre and West Edmonton Mall. But 30 years ago, his store was on Jasper.

“It was a golden age,” he says. “Back then, the Bay was the anchor, it was the centre of the universe, it really was. Jasper Avenue was the place to be, and the place to be seen.”

For generations, the Bay was downtown Edmonton's commercial centre. Today, it has a new identity as the University of Alberta's Enterprise Square campus.

Of course, the mice didn’t have much competition. Back then, Edmonton had two TV stations and a Lord’s Day Act. No cable TV, no CD-ROMS, no West Edmonton Mall.

The other night, as I drove down barren Jasper Avenue, I got to wondering. What ever happened to those mice? Why did the Bay give up the charming Christmas custom?

Calls to management didn’t help. A cheerful public relations woman in Toronto assured me the Bay still had “seasonal window displays” — I couldn’t get her to see the difference between an animated mouse village and plastic dummies modelling winterwear.

Eventually, I tracked down two men with the answers: Hal Spelliscy and John Cunningham. Spelliscy, now retired to Kelowna, ran the Jasper Avenue Bay in its heyday. Cunningham retired in Toronto last April as vice-president of operations for the Bay. In 1967, he worked for Spelliscy here.

It was Canada’s Centennial year, and the two wanted a grand Christmas display to mark the occasion. Two years before, the Bay had built a Winter Wonderland on the store rooftop, complete with a train borrowed from Storyland Valley Zoo. People lined up for hours, waiting for rides. There was just one problem.

“It was a $200,000 roof repair. The roof was never the same. But the kids loved it,” groans Cunningham.

How do you top a train on the roof? They found the answer at the Bon Marche in Seattle. The Bon was selling one of its old window displays, a mouse village. Spelliscy and Cunningham paid $15,000 for the hand-me-down mice. Bought new, it would have cost $50,000.

“We had to get local dressmakers to make new outfits for all the mice, and get our engineering staff to rework the animation,” Cunningham recalls.

“They were a delicate thing, a real Rube Goldberg construction,” says Spelliscy. “Storage was always a big problem. They were always breaking down. Every year we had to take about a month to doctor them up again.”

It was worth it.

“The mice were very popular,” Spelliscy says. “They were a sort of take-off on Santa’s helpers, all doing a lot of busy, busy things. They were great. The animation was really what turned people on, what made the little people happy to see them.

“Edmonton had the best windows in the country, not only just for Bay stores, but for everyone,” he says proudly. “No one had any better windows than we did.”

“They were the best windows I’ve ever seen in a Canadian department store,” John Cunningham agrees. “The best I’ve seen in 45 years in retail.”

These days, only a few American giants, like Macy’s in Manhattan, keep up the tradition of lavish animated Christmas windows. For anyone else, the costs would be hugely prohibitive.

“Department stores just don’t do this any more,” sighs Cunningham. “It has something to do with the decline of the downtown department store and the move to suburban shopping malls.”

And what happened to Edmonton’s mechanical mice?

Ironically, they were done in by their real-life country cousins. Sometime in the late 1970s, the mice were put into a storage barn in Spruce Grove, along with Christmas baking, preserved with shellac. Field mice snuck into the barn and ate the buns. Then they nibbled away the Christmas mice, costumes, stuffing and all.

(There it is – your antique Advent Calendar story treat for December 1st. Please join me again tomorrow, for your chance to open another holiday window. )