Box 100, 309 Main St., Watrous, SK S0K 4T0 • P (306) 946.3343 • F (306) 946.2026 • watrous.manitou@sasktel.net • www.thewatrousmanitou.ca • $1.25

Monday, December 17, 2012 Vol. 79 No. 48 Section Three

MANITOUANITOUThe WatrousThe Watrous

Elaine Wilson • 836-4711Simpson

2C • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • THE WATROUS MANITOU

All the best to you and yours for a beautiful and sparkling holiday season.

It’s been a privilege and a pleasure serving you.Thanks, everyone!

R.M. of Wood Creekand

Village of Simpson

Wishing a season merryand bright to all of our patrons.

We appreciate your loyal business this past year.

Simpson HotelSimpson Hotel836-2088836-2088

D. Moren Ent. TruckingDoug, Anne & Shanna

Whatever you do this holiday season, we hope it leaves you laughing all the way!

With best wishes to you and your loved ones for a very merry Christmas.

May you and your family enjoy a Christmas stuff ed with lots of magic, merriment and delight. We know we’re fi lled with appreciation when we think

of the many good folk we’ve had the pleasure to serve this year.

Happy Holidays!

Tri-Central InsuranceTri-Central InsuranceGary Vanthuyne & staff

836-4446 • 946-2864 • 524-3331

Simpson Co-op Store & Service Station

Board of Directors and Staff

When it comesto serving you,

the pleasure’s beenall ours.

With a multitude ofbest warm wishesfor a happy andhealthy holiday

season to all of youfrom all of us.

Devils Lake TrenchingJim & Holly Crawford 836-2152 • 946-7577

Richardson ConstructionRichardson Construction& Services& Services

Simpson, SK • 946-9991 • 836-4708Lawrence & Howard

Straight from the heart to all of you, go our sincereStraight from the heart to all of you, go our sincerebest wishes and heartfelt gratitude. We know we couldn’tbest wishes and heartfelt gratitude. We know we couldn’t

have wished for a better bunch of friends than you.have wished for a better bunch of friends than you.Merry Christmas!Merry Christmas!

I’d like to offer my heartfelt thanks for your friendship and business. McIntosh Trucking

Simpson, Sk • 306-836-2034 or 306-567-7506 cell

At this special time of year, we recall all the good people we’ve had the priv-

ilege to serve and wish you all much peace, joy and harmony at Christmas.

We value your friendship and are sincerely grateful for your loyal support.

Colleen’s Cafe

Colleen, Dennis and staff836-2038

filled with GLAD TIDINGSMay your holiday be brimming

with good times and

glad tidings.

It’s been a pleasure serving you this past year...thanks!

www.richardson.ca

On behalf of Richardson Pioneer and its personnel, we wish you and yours a happy holiday season and a wonderful, prosperous 2013.

Memories of Christmas

It soon will be over leav-ing lingering memories of dear; Christmas will come and go with happy thoughts remaining in the New Year.

The hustle and bustle that once again becomes a daily routine will settle down with life returning to normal and serene.

Beautifully wrapped presents beneath the tree in all their glory on Christ-mas Day will be opened to reveal the hidden story.

Paper and ribbon that is strewn everywhere to fi nd hidden treasure soon to be out of sight and remaining

will be smiles of pleasure,Christmas comes and

goes too quickly. It’s over in a wink. Be sure to enjoy ev-ery minute, because you’ll miss it if you blink.

The magic of the blessed time will fulfi ll us all year long, caressing our soul, bringing peace and joy and inner song.

When Christ’s day of birth for another year is over, happy thoughts re-main that will enrich us forever.

The Christmas star will forever shine bright and true. Its glory may be ok’d, but will always be new.

2 medium sweet potatoes or yams peeled2 tbsp. olive oil2 tsp. Montreal chicken spice1 tsp. lemon pepper

Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/2 inch sticks. Put into large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat.

Combine chicken spice and lemon pepper in resealable freezer bag. Add potato sticks. Seal bag and toss until coated. Arrange on greased baking sheet. Bake 425˚oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until ten-der. Serves 4. One serving is 209 calories.

Sweet potato sticks

GeneralChristmas facts

In 1643, the British parliament offi cially abolished the celebration of Christmas.

Eight members of the UCW met at the home of Mernie Pedersen for our Christmas party. A deli-cious potluck supper was enjoyed followed by a game of Name that Christmas Movie. Then we opened our presents from our Prayer partner. It was a

very enjoyable evening. Roy and Marilyn Craw-ford had an early Christ-mas celebration with their daughter Marla & Larry Ursu and family in Wey-burn Dec. 9. Then the next day it was another early Christmas with their son Neil and Trish in Regina. They also had a nice visit with Mildred Thomas, whose husband Roy was principal in Simpson in the ‘50s.

I wish you joy all through your holidays,I wish you good luck that forever stays.I wish you the love of family and friends,I wish you happy days that never ever ends.Merry Christmas to you!

I wish you

joy all through

Friendship is the thread that keeps us all connected. With warmth and sincerity, we thank you for the gift of yours and wish you all a very

joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year.

Young Co-op Association

From the council & staff ofThe RM of Morris No. 312

Have A Happy Holiday!Have A Happy Holiday!

The best part of any journeyis the people you meet along the way,

and we’re pleased to say, we’ve never met a better bunch of folks than you.

Thanks for making the trip worthwhile. Merry Christmas!

Manitou Custom CleaningYoung, SK — 259-4982 / 259-2055

Best Wishes for the Holiday Season

STR FarmsShouse, M.L. Teneycke and Russell families

Young, Sask. — 259-2006

With sincere best wishes to our neighbours,patrons and friends.

Your support means everything to us. Thanks!

Ron’s Repair and Custom Combining

Joy To All!Joy To All!Village

of Young

Balecs Sales Co.

Brant, Sheila& family

Young, SK

Best wishes to you and yours for a

happy andharmonious

holiday season.

Lost City Salvage Co.

Young, SK

Brant and Sheila Madland & family

With warm wishes to you and your fl ock for a

joyous holiday season.

Thank you for your business this year.

All the best in the holiday season and the New Year!

McClellan School Staff, Students and SCC

THE WATROUS MANITOU • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • 3C

1 pound ground pork sausage6 slices white bread, toasted and cut into cubes1/2 pound shredded mild cheddar cheese1 tsp. mustard powder1/2 tsp. salt4 eggs, beaten2 cups milk

Crumble sausage into a medium skillet. Cover over medium heat until evenly browned; drain.

In a medium bowl, mix together cooked sau-sage, toasted white bread, cheddar cheese, mustard powder, salt, eggs and milk. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Cover and chill in the refrig-erator 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Cover and bake 45 to 60 minutes. Uncover and re-duce temperature to 325˚F. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until set. Serves 5.

Christmas breakfast sausage casserole When the Sunday School class had fi nished singing,

Silent Night, they were told the story of the Nativity.The children were asked to make a drawing of the

scene as they thought it might look. After a little while, the teacher passed among them to see how they were do-ing.

She stopped at one little boy who had nearly fi nished. She complimented him on his drawing of Joseph and Mary and the baby in the manger, but noticed a fat roly-poly fi gure set to one side.

“Who is that?” she asked. “It’s Round John Virgin,” the boy replied.

A Christmas howler!Holiday survival tips1. Eat breakfast - it keeps energy levels high and helps maintain blood sugar and insulin at moderate lev-els. That, in turn, helps pre-vent the roller-coaster ride of feeling full one minute and ravenous the next.2. Aim for staying power - eat a breakfast with com-plex carbohydrates (oat-meal, whole-grain cereal or whole-grain toast), plus some low-fat protein (skim milk, low-fat yogurt) and some fruit, another good source of complex carbs and fi bre. Add a few sliv-ered walnuts or almonds for healthy fat.3. Make time for daily exer-cise - you will help burn off some of those added calories that are bound to creep in during the holiday season. Besides, holiday activity, even if it is just 15 minutes, helps improve mood and sleep. Carry smaller pack-ages in from your car in-stead of trying to carry in everything at one time.4. Treat yourself - no need to abstain from the holiday fun. Just choose wisely. So

plan to have the eggnog or the fudge, but not both. Eat a healthy snack before heading to a party so you will not arrive ready to eat everything in sight. And have some of that punch or wine - just sip it with your meal, not before, to slow the absorption of alcohol.5. Get enough shut-eye - sleep is often the fi rst thing shortchanged during the holiday season. Studies show skipping even a lit-tle sleep can wreak havoc with levels of insulin and other key hormones. That, in turn, can cause you to feel hungry. 6. Save yourself for the best - you can get dough-nuts and steak any time. But Christmas cookies and other holiday fare only come once a year. So save those extra calories to splurge on the good stuff.

4C • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • THE WATROUS MANITOU

Florence Halvorson • 255-2358Colonsay

And that means our warmest

wishes can’t be far behind!

Happy Holidays and heartfelt

thanks to all our neighbors,

customers and friends

this holiday season.

You make doing business fun!

Randi‛s Busy Bears Dayhome

Colonsay, Sask.

Welcome Christmasinto your heart

Let faith and familyplay a part;

And wherever youmay roam

You will always be at home!

• • • • • • • • •

May the spiritof Christmas

reside with you this holiday

season and beyond.

With special thanks

andbest wishes

from all of us.

Colonsay Co-opMANAGEMENT,

STAFF AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

With thanks and best wishes to our many friends, Merry Christmas and

Happy New Year.

SALON L.A.Lori Fraser

255-2224Colonsay, SK

Wright’s Insurance Services Ltd.Colonsay branch • Young branch

George & Cindy & Staff

From the brightly colored packages to the lights on the tree, may you enjoy all the blessings this special season has to offer. We couldn’t ask

for anything more than the gift of your patronage. Thanks!

In this season snowy and whiteWe send our wishes warm and bright

And hope that the holiday brings to youEverything you want it to!

With heartfelt thanks and warm wishesfrom all of us this holiday season.

Best wishes from The Colonsay Lioness Club

for your generous support in all our fundraising activities

over the past year.

MERRY MERRY CHRISTMASCHRISTMASOur hearts are fi lled with gratitude as we wishyou and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We value your patronage and look forward to the opportunity to serve you again, soon.

Blue Horizon Cafe

& Gas Bar

• Home Cooked Meals •Junction Hwy. #2 & #16

306-255-2789

Merna GordonMerna GordonTupperware

Dealer255-2079

Bowling was our Christ-mas party Dec. 4. We start-ed with three games of bingo bowl that was very exciting to see which team could fi nish fi rst. Lunch of soup, sandwiches, vege-

tables, dip and beverage was served by the bowl-ing alley and dessert was brought by all bowlers. Regular bowling was after lunch. Ladies high single - Gudrun Shier, 210 and

high triple, 571. Men’s high single - Les Garner, 190 and men’s high triple - Orest Romanuik, 484. Everyone enjoyed the day.

The seniors held their Christmas party in the community hall Dec. 4. President Les Garner wel-comed everyone who made it due to the horrible storm that day. Gudrun Shier said grace and the playschool mothers served a delicious

turkey supper, which every-one really enjoyed. The evening continued with Christmas carols accom-panied by musician Donna Moen, June Garner read Through the Grandkids Eyes and Donna Moen read Why Men are Never De-pressed and The Challenge of Buying a Bathing Suit. A gift exchange followed by never games. Joan Zenert and Patsy Grey served dif-ferent Christmas goodies, which brought the evening to a close.

The community choir candlelight service was held Sunday, Dec. 9 in the United Church. Emcee was Gail McVicar, Merilyn Kirk was choir director, Donna Moen was on the organ and Marg Kirk on piano. Spe-cial guests were Andrew Sutherland, Patrick Lang, Catherine Lang, Alvin Dieno and Donna Moen. Dainties and refreshments were served to all who at-tended after the service.

Overnight visitors with Gilbert and Florence Hal-vorson were her brother Milton Leffl er and his friend Madaline Loehn-dorf of Creston, B.C.

A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year to Robin, Nicole, staff and all the readers of the Watrous Manitou.

Christmas tips(NAPS) - Holiday season is here again, which usu-

ally delivers a sleigh-full of friends and family to your home. While festive gatherings bring out holiday cheer, your to-do list inevitably grows. If you fi nd hosting get-togethers around the holidays to be hectic, you are not alone.

This season, you do not have to be overwhelmed by holiday entertaining. Equipping yourself with timesav-ing tips for your party planning will allow you to be-come a stress-less hostess.

Here are some tips to eliminate your holiday head-aches, so you can spend more time enjoying the spirit of the season:

Avoid cleaning overkill. Spend more time with your guests than time spent preparing for them. When preparing for their visit, concentrate your efforts on the public areas of the house and do not spend as much time on places your guests will not notice.

Brighten the bathroom. This is an area of your home guests have the opportunity to examine up close.

Lighten up. A simple way to brighten a room is to clean light fi xtures. Remove the dusty glass globes or lampshades from the light bulbs.

Plan ahead. Enjoy your guests instead of being cooped up in the kitchen! Try preparing as many items as you can before company arrives. Cover prepared dishes and place in the refrigerator until it comes time to cook and serve your meal.

Deck the house. Festive decorations make the mood. Involve your family in holiday craft projects that are sure to invoke a hearty ho! ho! ho! Let children use their creativity by making a holiday ornament. You can even sew your own stocking for the mantle this year!

Mishaps happen. A good host handles disasters with grace. When someone spills red wine on your white tablecloth, smile and reassure them there is nothing to worry about.

Enjoy the holidays!

THE WATROUS MANITOU • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • 5C

Colonsay Credit Union

There’s nothing like good friends to warm up the holiday season!

Thank you so much for being ours.

• Colonsay Branch • Meacham Branch • Viscount Branch

“The spirit of the Holiday Season reminds us how glad we are to be part of this community. We wish you and yours a very

happy Christmas and a healthy New Year.”

Mosaic Potash Colonsay

This holiday season we’re delivering best wishes to all those who’ve been so good to us this past year. We couldn’t have asked

Santa for better friends and neighbours than you. Thanks!

Ben’s PlaceCanadian & Chinese Food

Colonsay • 255-2888

With warm regards from all of us to all of you this holiday season.

BRIGHTBRIGHTHOLIDAY HOLIDAY

WISHESWISHES

RM of Colonsay No. 342RM of Colonsay No. 342Reeve, Councillors & StaffReeve, Councillors & Staff

May your heart be fi lled with the love of family, the warmth of good friends and the

light of faith - all the trimmings for

a truly satisfying holiday season.

CRANCH’S GARAGEColonsay, SK

Blair, Debrah, Desiray, Wyatt & Len

May you and the ones you love beblessed with good health, good fortune

and good times this holiday season.We are sincerely grateful for your trust

in us and count your friendshipamong our greatest blessings.

Colonsay Colonsay SeniorsSeniors

Walker CabinetsCabinet Making

& MillworkColonsay, Sask.

ph. 255-2144fax 255-2270

With best wishes and heartfelt thanks to you and yours this Christmas.

(NC)—Decorating your home is an activity that captures the holiday spirit and refl ects personal style. Choosing two or three main colours and build-ing your Christmas décor around them is a great way to get maximum impact. The following Christmas colour combinations may help you create a beautiful, festive space: • Timeless elegance – Cre-ate a luxurious, elegant space using the warm com-bination of ivory and gold accents. Candles enhance the warmth of a room and invites friends and family to make themselves at home. • Dramatic – Combine black, red and silver to cre-ate a bold, contemporary look that is easy to achieve. Black candles with silver accents make a dramatic statement. Use a metal cardholder to elegantly and neatly display your holiday cards. • Handcrafted Christmas – Classic holiday colours like red, green and gold mixed with vintage style

characters and natural elements create a coun-try theme. Start with a berry topiary for the table and feature snowmen and other holiday characters throughout the house. Oversized stockings add some merriment and fun to your holiday decor. A great decorating trend for fami-lies with children. • Mrs. Wonderland – Turn your home into a winter wonderland using white and silver. Add pink ac-cents, such as fl owers and butterfl ies, and feathered decorations help create a sassy, whimsical look. The white feather glitter tree is a great way to bring this colour combination into your home. • King’s jewels – Combine burgundy and gold to cre-ate a majestic space. Add rich textures by choos-ing a dark tree skirt and stockings. Oversized gold tree decorations and ex-otic shapes, like jeweled elephants and crowns, bring the eye to your grand Christmas tree.

• Ice fantasy – Create a contemporary, unique look using a non-traditional ac-cent colour. Use cool blue and silver to bring the mag-ic of Christmas into your home, and add violet ac-cents to complete the look. Create your own centre piece by placing a variety of silver and purple-hued holiday decorations in a clear bowl. • Warm evening – Make your home glow this holi-day season with lights. From the outside to the inside, LED lights are the easy way to create a feel-ing of warmth. New Warm White LED lights bring the spirit of the season out-side with a warm glow. In the front hallway, a pre-lit topiary tree or cashmere pine tree in a sturdy gold pot adds elegance to your home and makes your friends and family feel im-mediately welcome. • Outdoor fun – Create a fun and magical outdoor space using infl atables in the yard. Perfect for fami-lies with children.

Holiday decorating trends

What’s the first thing elves learn in school? The “elf”-abet! Salsa shrimp dip

1/2 cup (half of 250g tub) Philadelphia light spreadable cream cheese2 cups salsa1 can (106g) shrimp drained1/2 cup chopped celery1/4 cup green onion slices

Beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer until creamy; gradually beat in salsa until well blended. Stir in shrimp, celery and green onion until well blended; cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Serve as dip with thin crackers.

6C • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • THE WATROUS MANITOU

A Wish For You at Christmas

Admore Co-opManagement, Staff

& Board of Directors

May the coming season bringPeace and joy and all good things;And when the holiday is through,May its message of hope remain with you!Merry Christmas and many thanks for your business this year.

HAPPYHOLIDAYS

Wishing you aseason that’s

merry and bright.

Allan SchoolAllan School Staff and Staff and StudentsStudents

Joyous NoelJoyous NoelHope the coming holiday brings,

peace and joy and all good things.

RM of Lost RiverRM of Lost RiverCouncil & Staff

Peace & JoyFor your loyal support,

we are deeply grateful

and wish you a very

Merry Christmas season.

TD Canada TrustManagement & Staff

Christmas GreetingsFolks like you make

it all worthwhile. Thanks!

Town of Allan

Mayor, Councillors & Staff

We feel fortunate to have you as our neighbors andlook forward to seeing you again in the year ahead.

Thanks!

EPR SaskatoonBrian Rugg, BSA, PAg, CGA

259 Robin Cres., Saskatoon • 306.934.3944

(NC)—To help you get through your holiday shopping ad-ventures smoothly and stress free, MasterCard Canada offers the following tips: Budget, budget, budget! Before you start shopping, de-cide how much you want to spend per person and stick to that budget. Remember to budget for items such as wrap-ping paper, decorations, food and beverages, travel and other holiday-related costs. Shop early and shop often. This is the best way to re-duce stress because you are not shopping for everyone on your list at the same time. If you do have to shop later in the season, go early in the day before it gets busy or take advantage of extended mall hours. The early bird gets the worm. Same goes for travel-pur-chases. The earlier you book your fl ights or train tickets, the more options and affordable prices you will fi nd. December 24, 4 p.m. We have all seen it, some of us have even been in it. The crowded parking lots, the fren-zied dash to fi nd that perfect gift before the mall closes. Save your sanity and avoid last minute shopping. Hold, please. When it comes to getting this season’s hot-test gift items, why not call the store ahead of time and put it on hold? It saves you from going to store after store,

after store. Simplify, simplify, simplify! Children, a busy mall, and holiday shopping do not mix well together. Make arrangements and leave the kids at home to make your shopping trip easier. Ask yourself: “Where do I like to shop?” Malls, bou-tiques and big box stores all have great gifts – it just de-pends on what you want. Malls offer a chance to do most of your shopping in one place, whereas boutiques have great “one of a kind” gifts. Big box stores carry a variety of mer-chandise and can also act as a “one stop” shop. Or… Shop online: For those who are mall-shy, try shopping online. Online shopping allows you to browse for multi-ple items, pay online with your credit card – all from the comfort of your home. Also, the items are often delivered straight to your door. Will they like it? Let us face it. Some people are diffi cult to shop for. Instead of spending days fretting over it, ask them what they want or need. This will ensure you buy a gift they will like. If you want it to be a surprise, buy the recipient a gift card to their favorite store, or make a donation to the person’s charity of choice. It’s perfect. But if only it were one size smaller… Sweat-ers do not always fi t perfectly. Save your receipts and write the recipient’s name on the back of each in case you need to make a gift exchange or return. Better yet, ask for gift receipts so you will not have to hand over the original. Make sure to check the store’s return/exchange policy. And fi nally…breathe! The holidays are a time for fam-ily and friends. Sure, you want that perfect gift, but do not forget to enjoy yourself too.

Stress-free for the holiday shopping season

(NC)—Serving temperature is a major consideration. Nine times out of ten, wines are served at inappropriate temperatures. Red wine is often served much warmer than it should be, and white wine is typically served much colder than it should be. Remember, ‘cellar tem-perature’ is not ‘room’ temperature.

Red wine served at inappropriately high temperatures will lose its aromatics very rapidly. There will be ‘less to smell’. Additionally, it may end up tasting rather fl at and unbalanced. Rule of Thumb: 1. Red Wine: A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if the bottle of red you are about to open feels very cool, but not quite cold. If indeed it does feel very cool, it is at or near the appropriate serving temperature. 2. White Wine: If the bottle of white you are about to open feels almost too cold to hold in your hand for long, it is too cold to be served. A wine served too cold will not ‘open up’, that is too say, it will not release its aromas. Also, it will numb your palate, which means you will be unable to taste and enjoy all of its character and nuances.

The following table lists the suggested serving tem-peratures for various wines courtesy of Canada’s most award winning vintner, Magnotta Winery (www.mag-notta.com) Wine Type ˚F ˚C Sparkling Wine 42-54 6-10 Rosé Wine 48-54 9-12 White Wine 48-58 9-14 Red Wine 57-68 13-20

Wine serving tips Peanut toffee pie9-inch frozen pie shell2/3 cup corn syrup1/2 cup brown sugar2 eggs, lightly beaten2 tbsp. butter, melted and cooled1/4 tsp. salt2 tsp. vanilla1 cup peanutsWhipped cream (optional)

Place rack on lower shelf of oven. Preheat oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Place pie shell on a baking sheet and let stand 10 minutes to thaw slightly.

Meanwhile, in a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk corn syrup with brown sugar, eggs, butter, salt and vanilla until any sugar lumps have dis-solved and mixture is combined. Coarsely chop half the peanuts. Then sprinkle whole and chopped peanuts over pie shell base. Slowly pour fi lling over peanuts.

Bake on lower rack of preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350˚F (180˚C) and continue to bake until deep brown and just set, 20 to 25 min-utes. Let stand at least 1 hour before slicing. Deli-cious warm or at room temperature served with a dollop of whipped cream.

There are many differ-ent customs that make the Christmas season so spe-cial. When were some of the customs fi rst used and where did they come from? Candles: Candles have long been the symbol of guiding light in the midst of darkness. At Christmas, they represent the journey Mary and Joseph made when travelling to Bethle-hem and how they sought a place to spend the night. Today a candle burning in the window of a home on Christmas Eve means that this is a home where vis-itors are welcome. Christmas cards: The fi rst Christmas card to be sold as a greeting card was pro-duced in London in 1843. Louis Prang, a German im-migrant, fi rst began print-ing Christmas cards in the United States in 1874. Reindeer: No one knows for sure, but Scandinavians

may have brought the idea of Christmas reindeer to the United States. They be-came famous because of Dr. Clement Moore’s poem of 1823, in which Dancer, Pran-cer, Donder, Blitzen and the other reindeer were intro-duced as the animals who pull Santa’s sleigh. Until the 19th century, St. Nicho-las had ridden on a donkey, on a horse, or in the sky chariot drawn by horses. Colors: Red, green and white have long been asso-ciated with the Christmas season. Red, the colour of greatest excitement, repre-sents fi re, blood and char-ity., Green is the symbol of nature, youth and the hope for eternal life. Christmas is the feast of hope, with the Baby Jesus at its cen-tre. White stands for light, purity, joy and glory. We see white in the robes of angels and in holiday decorations and snow.

Christmas traditions

We thank you for the gift of your business, and wish you and your loved ones a bounty

of glad tidings this holiday season.

Colonsay Active Massage TherapyColonsay Active Massage TherapyCandace Yousie, R.M.T.

255-2746

THE WATROUS MANITOU • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • 7C

ColonsaySchoolStaff & Students

Here’s to a season fi lled with tenderness, love, and the best of friends.We appreciate your making this year a memorable one.

Merry Christmas!

Kobi’s Bar & Grilland

Kobi’s Hide Away Motel255-2086

Mike, Lori and family

Tidings Tidings

Of Comfort & JoyOf Comfort & Joy

Town of Colonsay

Mayor, Councillors & Staff

No matter what you celebrate, We hope your

season’s really great.We appreciate your

stopping here And wish you all a

joyous year!

Painted RockCampground

Hugh & Marg Kirk257-3537

ARCALLOY

WELDINGBill & Peggy

Stirton255-2112

Colonsay, SK

All the best!!

With warm

wishes and

gratitude for

your continued

patronage.

Season’s Greetings from

James B. Rugg, Barrister, Solicitor, Notary Public

James B. Rugg Law Offi cePh: 306-384-6233Fax: 306-955-1045

■ submitted by JL DaribethHe ran a small weathered hand through his thick

brown curls, stifl ing a yawn with the other. He had been traveling since dawn and was now fi nally in sight of his destination.

His small body hunched slightly into the light breeze as he walked quickly and with purpose. He had to reach his goal tonight. The stones on the track caused him to stop every now and then to shake them from his beaten sandals. Nevertheless, he had a mission this night and stones were not going to stop him.

The pack on his back swayed in time to each pace he took. Left foot, right foot - he was glad he hadn’t counted his steps. He fi gured he would be into more numbers than he could count anyway.

He took a small goatskin from his belt and care-fully turned the stick to unplug the hole. He put it to his parched lips and lifted the bag to allow just a small trickle of water into his dusty mouth. He savoured his meager refreshment while his hands quickly plugged the hole and again he carried on. Three times that day he had stopped to fi ll it, twice at water holes and once in a village where an old man had pointed him in the direc-tion he was now following.

Dusk had fallen some time ago and he scanned the night sky carefully for his lead. He had learned about travelling at night and knew how to walk in a straight line.

The skin on his weary legs began to tingle. He pon-dered how much longer it would take him and what he would do, once he got there.

He saw a small arc of shimmering light forming just on the crest of the horizon and as he approached, he real-ized this was his fi nal destination. His short legs paced a bit quicker, with his quest almost completed now.

He gathered his strength and entered the village, still using the night sky as his guide.

He passed houses and a market place and fi nally, an inn came into view. He passed it by without glancing at the door that held a sign stating “No Rooms”. He stared

in awe at the back yard of the inn. For in the darkness a tiny outbuilding radiated in the still of the night.

He approached the building, hesitating in front. He straightened his back and with a deep breath reached out and unlatched the door. He entered silently and be-held what would forever make his heart quiver.

For there before him was exactly what he’d seen in his dream. It had come true. His faith had led him to his point.

He slowly approached, then stopped, realizing that warmth was coming from within him. The night air had pressed a chill into his wary bones, but now he found an energy he did not know he possessed.

He reached around and lowered his pack to the dirt fl oor. He released the content and tied the worn leather strap about his tiny waist. He grasped the sticks secure-ly in his hands and started what he’d been born to do.

He watched as a radiant beam fl owed over the che-rubic face gazing up intently at him. The face behind the baby, fresh in the glow of motherhood, swam se-renely before his tear-fi lled eyes. One more face entered his blurred fi eld of vision as he tapped out his message of hope. This face, still in awe of all that encompassed them, smiled at him in a fatherly way.

The animals that surrounded the holy trio blended their voices to the rhythm of the little boy’s drumming, unknowing they were partaking in the fi rst Noel.

The vision

Boxing Day

Dec. 26 was traditionally known as St. Stephen’s Day, but it is more commonly known as Boxing Day. This expression came about because money was collected in alms-boxes placed in churches during the festive season. This money was then distributed to the poor and needy after Christmas. Servants and workers also kept “boxes” for their savings and put into it Christmas gift money received from their employers. The day after Christmas they would break the boxes open to count the money.

Chunky oatmeal cranberrycookie mix

(NC) An attractive gift to give as well as a tasty treat to eat

1 cup all purpose fl our1/2 tsp. baking soda1/4 tsp. salt1 1/4 cups oatmeal1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup packed brown sugar3/4 cup dried cranberries3/4 cup white chocolate chips1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine fl our, baking soda and salt, mix well. Pack down in a large jar with tight fi ghting lid. Add other ingredients one at a time, packing each layer down fi rmly. Put the lid on the jar and tie a ribbon around it. Print out the preparation direc-tions on a card and fasten to the jar.

Directions: Beat 1/2 cup softened butter un-til light and creamy. Add 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla mixing until smooth. Add ingredients from jar, stirring until thoroughly blended. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350˚F for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

IMPERIAL HOTEL

Harvey & Bev McLane & staff

Imperial, Sask.

Wishing you ahigh-flying season filled

with good times and lots ofold-fashioned fun.

Thank you for yourbusiness this past year.

ImperialFamily Restaurant

963-2988

Here’s hoping your holiday season is overfl owing with

the many blessings this great time of year has to offer.

We’re truly gratefulfor your kind support.

LONG LAKE TRUCKINGMel, Craig & Wayne

You’ve given us so much this past year and now we’d like to give you our thanks, along with our best

wishes for a very gifted season.

With sincere best wishes to our neighbors, patrons and friends.

Your support means everything to us. Thanks!

LEWIS AGENCIES LTD.W. E. Lewis, Sharon Crittenden and staff

Imperial, Sask.

... And to wish you a season of peace and joy.

We loved every minute ofserving you this past year.

IMPERIAL GARAGEKevin, Pat, Al & ElaineImperial, Sk • 963-2282

8C • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • THE WATROUS MANITOU

At this special time of year, we recall all the good people we’ve had the privilege to serve and wish you all much peace,

joy and harmony at Christmas. We value your friendship and are sincerely grateful for your loyal support.

KELLY’S EAVESTROUGHINGDavid & Shirley, Ryan & Rhonda

And heartfelt thanks to our good friends everywhere this

holiday season.

ONE-ON-ONEHAIR STUDIOCandace and Rochelle

IMPERIALCO-OPBev Oakes,

Bill Rodman& staff

Imperial, Sask.

Friends like you are “deer” to us.

Merry Christmas!

Georgie’s PlaceImperial, Sk • 963-7646Ted & Helen Abrey

Christmas Hours: Closed Dec.24, 25, 26 & 31 & Jan. 1Normal Hours: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

CLOSED: Mondays in Jan., Feb., & March

Gullacher Plumbing & Heating

Box 261Imperial, SK

S0G 2J0

Mars barFirst layer:1/2 cup margarine4 - 1 3/4 oz. Mars BarsMelt this together.

Add 3 cups Rice KrispiesMix and put into 9 x 9 foil lined pan

Topping:1/4 cup margarine1 cup chocolate chipsMelt and pour over cake.

(NC)—It is easy to lose sight of your fi nances over the holidays. Here are some tips to help you enjoy the holidays without breaking your budget. Make a budget: Set a bud-get going into the holiday season and stick with it. When setting that budget, keep in mind that in addi-

tion to buying gifts, you may also be entertaining more often, and travelling. Take all those components into account in your budget. Secret Santa: Instead of buying something for every-one in your family, why not put everyone’s name into a hat and have each person draw a name? Each person is responsible for one gift, saving time and money. You could even place a limit on how much could be spent – not only does this help your budget, but it would also re-sult in creative gift ideas. Split a gift: Instead of try-ing to fi nd the right gift at the right price, team up with a friend or two and give a bigger gift from all of you. Gift cards: If the person on your list is saving up for something big, help them out with a gift card from the store they would pur-chase it from. Or, simply give a gift card to the recip-ient’s favourite store. Redeem your points: Throughout the year, we scrimp and save loyalty points on our various cred-it cards and the holidays are the perfect time to re-deem them. Loyalty points are fl exible and can be ex-changed for groceries, home and living items, gift certifi -cates, and even gasoline. Potluck party: Create a list of what you need (ap-petizers, main courses, des-serts) and have each of your guests bring one item. This gives you time away from the kitchen while ensuring you get to sample many dif-ferent culinary delights. Make your own gifts: If you are creatively inclined, purchase your materials and work on your projects in the evenings. Giving a homemade gift lets a per-son know they are valuable because you are giving them something money cannot buy: your time.

Celebratewithout breaking

your budget

Imperial teen selected as junior star

Harper Rae of Imperial was chosen one of the winners of the SaskEnergy Junior Stars program that provided 14 young curlers a fi rst-hand experience of championship curling during the Capital One Canada Cup Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 at Moose Jaw’s Mosaic Place. The competition was open to all Saskatchewan curlers between the ages of 11 and 19 with each entrant submitting an essay describing “How I give back to my community.” Rae received a ticket for herself and two guests, an offi cial Junior Stars jacket, a gift package compliments of SaskEnergy and the Cap-ital One Canada Cup, a photo with their team and intro-duction at a pre-game ceremony.

–– photo submitted by SaskEnergy

Imperial& District

Service Club

Hope your season delivers

lots of good news.

Thanks for stopping by this

past year.

There’s no place like home, especially at the holidays, and

we’re glad to be right here, serving good folks like you.

Merry Christmas!

MAIN ST.

Long Lake Valley Integrated

AuxiliaryFrom all the Members

THE WATROUS MANITOU • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • 9C

ROYAL STREET ROYAL STREET PHARMACYPHARMACY

in ImperialBetty, Marian, Doreen,

Diane, Gary & Luke

MerryChristmas!

From the Management & Staffat

E.W. Industries Ltd.home of

In the spirit of the season we offer you our sincere

best wishes and deepest gratitude. Have a joyous Noel!

Kelly’sGeneral Store

Rita, David, Nicole, Kerrie & Clarence

Dan & Catherine Mengel,Michele Nelson, Jan Pritchard, Joanne Measner, Brenda Olson,Gail Frohlick, Rae-Lee Schropp, Arlene Selinger, Debbie Ball,

Linda Westermann and Dave Jones

With warm wishes to you and yourfamily at this festive time of year.

Have a great holiday!RBC Royal BankImperial Branch

Sandi, Charlene, Cindy, Gaylene,

Cindy, Judy and Margo

Thank you Thank you for your business!for your business!

Wishing you and yours, a most harmonious and enlightening holiday season.

For your goodwill and friendship, we feel truly blessed. Noel!

Rite Way Mfg.Mike Surette & staff

Imperial, Sask.

At this special time of year, please accept our sincere wishes for a holiday that’s deeply satisfying from start to finish. Your support has meant so much to us. Thanks, everyone!

TOWN OF IMPERIAL

Mayor: Ron KlenkCouncil: Ted Abrey, Brent Ingram,

Ryan Kelly, Anna Lewis, Susan Parish, Bill Tighe

Administrator: Sheila NewloveForeman: Kelvin Klenk

Create Christmas Eve traditions

(NC) — Eager anticipation is a large part of the holi-day season and the excite-ment reaches its merry height on Christmas Eve.

“Every family has its own traditions that make this night a special time,” said Denise Darragh of Hallmark Canada. “These special activities are often created when children are young and parents mix fa-vorite traditions from their childhood with new ones that refl ect their growing family.”

Even if you have a few last minute to-dos, try to keep the focus on fun and consider these ideas.• Keeping the kids busy will help ease their wait on Christmas Eve. Spend some time together and teach them to write a special thank-you card for Santa. Leave the card propped on your mantel where Santa will be sure to see it. • Encourage the kids to re-search reindeer online or track Santa’s progress on Norad’s special Santa site. • After driving his sleigh around the world, Santa will appreciate a glass of cold milk and a plate of cookies. Leave them out for Santa and do not forget a few car-rots for Rudolf and the rest of the reindeer crew. • Find an outdoor ice rink in your area and set up a skating party. As an added

bonus, the exercise and fresh air will help young ones sleep later on Christ-mas morning. • If you do not have a fi re-place or your roof is slip-pery, leave a Santa Key on your front door to provide a new route of entry for the jolly old elf. • Pop a large batch of pop-corn and settle in for a Christmas fi lm festival. Mix it up with seasonal classics like the Miracle on 34th Street or pick from a selection of contempo-rary fare such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas. • Before you retire, relax by the fi re with a glass of egg-nog and take a look at pho-to albums and scrapbooks while you reminisce about Christmases gone by.

The traditions you start at Christmas Eve are only limited by your imagina-tion. No matter what activ-ities you choose, they will provide happy memories for the whole family and enrich the holiday season with sharing and love.

1/4 cup brown sugar Graham wafer crackers1/4 cup margarine 1 pkg. sliced almond1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 cup coconut1 pkg. of miniature marshmallows (250g)

Melt margarine and sugar on low heat until sugar is dissolved, then add cinnamon. Meanwhile place tinfoil on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan and put on graham crackers, then enough marshmallows to cover. Drizzle sugar mixture over the marshmallows, then the almonds and coconut. Bake 350˚ for 12 to 16 minutes until bubbly and brown; don’t over cook. Cool and take out of pan. Cut into squares, then triangles.

Caramel heavenlies

(NC) –– If you are stumped about gift ideas, do not worry, it happens to the best of us. To help out the shopping and bar-gain hunting, experts from RedFlagDeals.com have prepared this gift giving guide to help you shop for all of the important people in your life. Mom:

Naughty: A vacuumNice: Vacuum the house with the

vacuum you boughtTwice as nice: Pay for a house clean-

ing and take your mom out to dinnerDad:

Naughty: A bag of charcoal for the grillNice: A barbecue setTwice as nice: A membership to a

steak of the month clubYour boss:

Naughty: Offi ce supplies . . . from the offi ce supply

closetNice: A fancy penTwice as nice: A mid-day round of golf

Boyfriend or husband:Naughty: Sports team themed under-

wearNice: Sports team themed underwear

of a team he actually likesTwice as nice: Take him to a game

Girlfriend or wife:Naughty: The Rambo Collector’s Edi-

tion Box SetNice: Dinner and movieTwice as nice: Dinner and a necklace

The mailman:Naughty: FruitcakeNice: Delicious homemade cookiesTwice as nice: Actually shovel your

driveway this year

Make your list and check it twice

10C • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • THE WATROUS MANITOU

Thank you for the gift of your friendship.

Happy Holidays!We look forward to

your continued patronage.

StuffedStuffed with withBest WishesBest Wishes

Our Country SpaOur Country SpaMelissa DienoCindy Welter

For appointment 944-2060

RM of RM of Viscount Viscount

#341#341

Season’s Greetings and best wishes in

the New YearA joyous Noel

to all our faithful supporters.

Viscount Stop & ShopArmand and Debbie

Clavelle

944-4999 Grocery944-4832 Hardware

May the peace of the Christ child fi ll your hearts

during this holy season.

COME LET USADORE HIM!

ST. ALPHONSE SCHOOLVISCOUNT

}

Here’s wishing all our customers and their families a season that’s merry & bright!

Thank you for your continued support and all the

best in 2013!!

On behalf of Tanika Transport

Larry & Leona Goodsman and family

A Wish For You at the HOLIDAYSat the HOLIDAYS

In this season of hopes and dreams,it is our hope that all your dreams

come true this year.For helping us to realize ours,

we offer you our heartfelt gratitude.

DOT’S PLACEFrom: Dot and staff

Wishing you all the blessings of a truly spectacular holiday season.

With deepest thanks for your kind patronage.

WHITEHEAD HILL REPAIR LTD.Hans Hanson & FamilyHans Hanson & Family

306-944-4480306-944-4480

May the coming season bring peace to your home and joy to your heart.

Many thanks for your valued support.

Drake, Sask.363-2131

Sandra Reid • 944-2182Viscount

Christmas has come upon us pretty fast, at least for me. I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and hope you and your fam-ilies have a safe and happy holiday season. I had a chance to go to the Mea-cham Museum Christmas Memories Dec. 7. They have a great display and a very friendly atmosphere. I enjoyed looking around and visiting. Karen Dale and Gerrie Dieno served breakfast to 21 Dec. 8 at the Viscount seniors fundraising break-fast. The lucky loonie was won by Chris Rault. There will be no breakfast served at the seniors Dec. 22 or 29, but will start again Jan. 5, 2013. Four of the Viscount ladies who join knitted/

crocheted squares for Blan-kets for Canada got together again this past week work-ing away at making colour-ful blankets to give to the Saskatoon shelters. They plan on one more meet-ing before taking a break for the Christmas season feeling satisfi ed they have given several dozen away since the end of summer and just in time for Christ-mas. There are eight mem-bers in the book club this year and they met this past week to discuss their fi rst book of the season. The Cellist of Sarajevo by Ste-ven Galloway. Youth group met for the fi nal time this season at St. John’s Lu-theran Church in Viscount for the Christmas banquet and games night. Seven-teen students attended the

evening’s fun. Bowling for the week of Dec. 4: LHS - Eileen Leffl er, 230; LHT - Eileen Leffl er, 543; MHS - Pat Clavelle, 226; MHT - Bernie Vossen, 573; THS - Witkowicz, 704; THT - Witkowicz, 1943. Gr. 1 to 8 students from Viscount Central School had the opportunity in November to participate in a LIVE arts session. Greg Ochitwa led several ses-sions centred on drama. Ochitwa is from Saskatch-ewan. He acts professional-ly, writes and performs rap music and teaches acting at the Globe Theatre in Re-gina. He spent time at VCS with four groups, playing theatre games, developing characters and more. If you have any news please let me know. Sweet: the smiles and friendly greetings during the holiday season. Sour: nothing sour at this time of the year. I would like to take the opportunity to wish the Watrous Manitou a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Great job. It is extremely nice to be able to read local news. Wishing anyone who is under the weather best wishes and hope you feel better soon.

Once upon a time, there was a man who worked very hard just to keep food on the table for his family. This particular year a few days before Christmas, he punished his little fi ve-year-old daughter after learning that she had used up the family’s only roll of expensive gold wrapping paper.

As money was tight, he became even more upset when on Christmas Eve he saw that the child had used all of the expensive gold paper to decorate one shoebox she had put un-der the Christmas tree. He also was concerned about where she had gotten mon-

The goldwrapping paper

ey to buy what was in the shoebox.

Nevertheless, the next morning the little girl, fi lled with excitement, brought the gift box to her father and said, “This is for you, Daddy!”

As he opened the box, the father was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, now regretting how he had punished her.

But when he opened the shoebox, he found it was empty and again his anger fl ared. “Don’t you know, young lady,” he said harsh-ly, “when you give someone a present, there’s supposed to be something inside the package!”

The little girl looked up at him with sad tears rolling from her eyes and whispered: “Daddy, it’s not empty. I blew kisses into it until it was all full.”

The father was crushed. He fell on his knees and put his arms around his pre-cious little girl. He begged her to forgive him for his unnecessary anger.

An accident took the life of the child only a short time later. It is told that the father kept this little gold box by his bed for all the years of his life. When-ever he was discouraged or faced diffi cult problems, he would open the box, take out an imaginary kiss, and remember the love of this beautiful child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us has been given an invisible golden box fi lled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and God. There is no more precious possession any-one could hold.

(NC)—The holiday season is a busy time of year for everyone – from shopping to social-izing. Amongst the hustle and bustle of sea-sonal festivities it is often the little things, such as personal and home security that can be easily overlooked in the excitement of running out the door to the next party. Here are a few simple tips on how to keep your be-longings safe over the holiday season: • Notify your neighbours. Let your neigh-bours know when you are planning to be away and if you are expecting anyone to be at your house. Give them a set of keys for emergency purposes. • Lock up. Double-check all the windows and doors before you leave. For sliding glass doors and large windows, place a small stick in the track to make sure the doors cannot be slid open. • Secure your belongings. Make sure your valuables are protected inside your home. Hide your jewelry and valuables in a safe hiding place or lockbox. Laptops should be

secured with a security lock, such as the Tar-gus Notebook Security DEFCON Ultra Max Cable lock. Made with industrial strength, Technora-coated cable fi ber, this lock can withstand over 2,300 pounds of pull strength and up to 10,000, four-digit combinations can be set and reset at any time. • Remove your mail. A build-up of news-papers and fl yers on a front step is a sure sign that no one is home. Ask a neighbour to collect your mail and call your newspaper carrier so that the paper is cancelled for the days that you are away. • Leave several lights on. Automatic tim-ers are great to use when you are going away. Having lights turn on at night and off in the morning is a great illusion that someone is home.

You can never be too careful when it comes to protecting your house and your be-longings around the holidays. Many people go away to see friends and family, making empty houses an easy target.

Security duringthe holidays

Stress free ChristmasHere’s

to a stress freeChristmas. May your

Christmas lights work . . .fi rst time . . .

… To remember to say“Merry Christmas and many thanks!”With best wishes for a happy and healthyholiday season from all of us.

ViterraViscount • 944-4444

Villageof

Viscount

Hope your holiday is a glowing success,

filled with bright times and warm friendships.

Merry Merry ChristmasChristmas

From snowmen to Santa,To tinsel on the tree,We wish you a Merry Christmas,And a year filled with glee!

Viscount Recreation Board

May all the joys of a sweet, old-fashioned Christmas be yours. Thank you for

being such loyal customers.

Mister Mist Car Wash

& Laundromat

VISCOUNT HOTELLloyd Wilkie

BELIEVE InThe MIRACLE!

With just a star to guide them,the holy flocked to visit the infant Jesus in the manager

where he lay on that very first Noel. For brightening our year with your visits, we are most grateful and wish you the very merriest Christmas season.

Keep Christ in Christmas

St. Alphonse Knights of Columbus

ViscountValerie Schlosser

Schlosser Agencies Ltd.

Viscount944-2199

Here’s wishing you twelve fun-fi lled days.

It’s been a genuine pleasure doing business with you.

THE WATROUS MANITOU • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • 11C

Viscount50+

Seniors

SEASON’S GREETINGS

& MANY

THANKS

...And many thanks for the

goodwill you’ve shown us this year!

Concrete Elements appreciates your past patronage. We look

forward to serving you in 2013:

Gardenscape at Saskatoon:

Mar. 22,23 & 24

Spirit of Manitou Studio Trail

at farm: July 6 & 7

Your hosts Dave & Loa TitmanYour hosts Dave & Loa Titmanwww.concretelements.com

At this special time of year, we recall all the good people

we’ve had the privilege to serve and wish you all much peace, joy

and harmony at Christmas. We value your friendship and

are sincerely grateful for your loyal support.

Sandra ReidAvon Rep and Paper Correspondent

Happy Holidays from Sandra and Evan Reid

Christmas memories

Just in time for the holiday season Meacham Museum opened its newest exhibit Dec. 7. Christmas Memories is a delightful exhibition of toys, dolls, teddy bears and trains and is designed for the child in everyone. A love-ly collection of porcelain dolls and two working Lego trains are part of the magic. One train comes complete with a Lego village and Area 51 for those intrigued with the mysteries of space. Christmas Memories features a tribute to the early Ukrainian settlers in the area with one corner devoted to Ukrainian Christmas and its customs. It includes a beautifully set dinner table and a collection of memor-able china and ornaments. The museum opened July 28, 2012 as part of Meach-am’s centennial celebration. The fi rst exhibit, visited by hundreds of people, was a detailed presentation of the village’s history. Many commented the little museum will be a wonderful way to preserve the culture and his-tory of the area. The second exhibit Faces opened Oct.

19 and ran until Nov. 17. It included the face of harvest, masks, photographs of Meacham and area residents and antique clocks. Meacham Museum is housed in the former shoe-maker’s shop owned by Mathew Klymyshyn. Mathew arrived from Ukraine in 1925 and opened a shoe and harness repair shop in 1926. He built the house where he and his family lived for 46 years. Originally the business was run from the house; in 1937 the shop was built and continued to be a bustling place until 1974. The current owners have made the space available to be used as a mu-seum. It really is a “dream come true” for the Meacham Historic and Cultural Society. The present exhibit runs from Dec. 7 to Jan. 6. The museum located on Queen St. has free admission. Take a few moments to come in and sit by the fi re-place. Christmas memories really are magic.

Meacham Museum opened July 28, 2012 as part of the centennial celebration with many exhibits that have already been presented.

Christmas memories, the newest display at the Meacham Museum began Dec. 7 and goes until Jan. 6, 2013. - photos submitted

Make these patties for a Christmas dinner change. You can add 2 tbsp. of crumbled bacon bits, goat cheese or grated parmesan to the po-tato mixture. Make half the Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes (recipe to follow); let cool. In large bowl, mix together potatoes; 1 egg; and 1 cup toasted fresh bread crumbs. Shape by 1/3 cupfuls into 1/2 in. thick patties. In shallow bowl, combine 2 cups toasted fresh bread crumbs with 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley. Press patties into mixture to coat all over. Place on greased baking sheet. (Make ahead: cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.) Bake in 400˚ F oven, turning once, until crisp, about 10 min-utes. Makes 16 patties.

Make aheadmashed potatoes

Serve everyone’s favourite holiday comfort food as is or add bread crumbs and egg and form into crisp, baked patties.15 Yukon gold potatoes (about 5 lbs.)1 cup sour cream1/2 cup butter, cubed4 green onions, thinly sliced1/4 cup minced fresh parsley1 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. pepper

In large pot of boiling salted water, cover and cook potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and return to pot briefl y to dry completely. Rice or mash until smooth. Add sour cream and butter; mix until butter is melted. Stir in green onions, parsley, salt and pepper. Transfer to 9x13 glass baking dish or casserole; smooth top or cre-ate design. (Make ahead: cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.) Cover and heat in 400˚F oven un-til hot, about 15 minutes, or microwave at high for about 6 minutes. Makes 12 to 14 servings.

Mashed potato patties

We all need one another

Be kind to other people,It’s the proper way to act,

We all need one another, and,That’s just a simple fact.

The grocery clerk, the postman,Nurse, cook, secretary too,

We all need one another’s help,No matter what we do.

Sometimes we have the feeling that,We’re special or unique,

But we all need one another,That includes the strong and weak.

We’re all just human beings,Big or little, short or tall,

And we all need one another,So, respect folks, one and all.

In this world of human beings,Different people, different strokes,

But we all need one another, so,Be kind to other folks.

12C • MONDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2012 • THE WATROUS MANITOU