St. Albert Christmas Network

The proposal for this project is to select 150 stories from Christmases past, 150 stories about Christmas present (how Christmas was celebrated in St. Albert in 2011), 150 Christmas Songs (past, present and about the future) 150 comments about how Christmas might be celebrated in 2061. If your organization celebrates Christmas and/or would like to participate in this project, please send an email or link to Info@factsnet.org with info on your celebration

Your comments to this post will contribute to the dialogue on Jubilee Christmas and a proposed general dialogue on Christmas See Alberta Christmas Dialogue.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Christmas Project Labels

This post gives you a choice of labels, if you have other suggestions check with your teacher before using them so everyone can agree on the label. You can use more than one label.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Sponsors Summer 2009

The following is a list of sponsors for this blog:
Canada Summer Jobs
FACTS
Centralta Tourism Society
Collaborative Information Networks

Saturday, August 15, 2009

405-406 Christmas with the Bellerose Family

Christmas had its own traditions for the Bellerose family. Every year, they attended the Midnight MAss at the St Albert Parish, and would have their Christmas dinner the next day. In the evening of Midnight MAss, the family would have an early dinner; the church was three and a half miels away. They also wanted to be early so that they could go to confession before the Mass.

The Bellerose family rode to Mass in their sleigh, and preparations had to be made. Hay had to be put into the sleigh box for the horses, bricks had to be heated in the oven and covered with old clothes for the family's feet, and they had to be wrapped and tucked in thick blankets and clothes.

They attended two Masses before returning home in the early hours. Afterwards, they would have hot drinks and a little bit to eat while they admired their Christmas tree and the presents underneath, which remained unwrapped. Finally, it would be time for bed.

The next day, the Belleroses had their Christmas dinner. With the amount of dishes to be served, they would begin preparing early in the day, and dinner began early in the evening as well. Their Christmas meal was always a joyous one, with turkey and mincemeat pie, among other home-cooked dishes.

From Black Robe's Vision vol. 1:
Page 405
Page 406

Related posts:
Bellerose's Chevy

CIN Usefulness Rating:
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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

1861 - The First Christmases in St Albert

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

School Google Christmas Day

What is currently being proposed is a "Google Heritage Day" before Christmas to introduce our St. Albert Christmas project to a school.

Options for the "Google Heritage Day" (A computer projector and lab or the equivalent is needed for the whole day).

Any Day except a Friday (before December 5)
Although the day is a one time commitment, what is learned and projects developing from the day could continue for years to come.
One option is for me to work with students and classes as a substitute teacher, without the involvimg teachers from the school, other than they cover my sub duties.
The other is to hire one or two additional subs so that teachers can attend sessions with their classes and one teacher who would be interested in learning to use Google applications (primarily blogger for Language Arts and Social Studies) could work with me for the entire day..
If a teacher is involved in the day then the I would meet with the teacher first to set up for the day.
Once we are prepared, then a total of not more than 20 student helpers (students mostly from either grades 7-12 or grades 4-6 who have good work habits and Internet skills) would meet to get instruction. These students would help others in their class or work with students in grades 1-3.
Have classes of teachers and students in grades 4-6 spend a period each working on the project..
Or have classes of teachers and students in grades 7-12 (most profitable for grade 7) spend a period each working on the project.
Optional: meet with student helpers and prepare for presentations to grade 1- 3 students.
Optional: Presentations to grade 1 and 2 classes.
If desired meet briefly after school with interested teachers to review the day and introduce them to using Google applications.

Hope this helps you understand how our history book projects could work in our schools. After Christmas, I hope to be working on St. Albert History Google days.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

82/83 Christmas Eve at the St. Albert Cathedral was Celebrated by Both Protestants and Catholics (8)

Click here to see the picture larger (St. Albert Pictorial History pg. 5)

Which Cathedral (Church) was the masses mentioned below celebrated in?

Summary:

Religious observances were central, like attending mass, especially Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, which was also attended by English speaking protestants from Fort Edmonton. Excerpts from the Edmonton Bulletin also mention community highlights.

Excerpts from Black Robe's Vision:

Suggestions for further research and development.

Find out which Church has remained as an historical site until now (Dec. 2015)?
Find out how and by what route people traveled from Edmonton to St. Albert?
Find out what mass was like in the 1880s.

Further Exploration & Development:

Visit the Father Lacombe Chapel.
Work with the Church and Museum to reenact a mass in the 1860s. Video it and put it on this blog.
Research and write a story about Christmas in St. Albert in the 1800s.
Evaluate the usefulness of this post for each grade level and make suggestions for for grade level use.

82 , 83 (Links to pages in the Black Robe's Vision)

Sunday, April 1, 2007

(4) During his Christmas visit of 1860, Bishop Tache gives his blessing to the establishment of the St. Albert mission. (4)

19 (Link to page) Usefulness Rating (4): There is only mention of the Bishops Christmas visit. ( For more on Christmas 1860 read from bottom of page 77 to top of page 83 ). The context is very useful in finding out the beginnings of the St. Albert mission.

Grade Ratings:
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Gr. 11 - [] LA
Gr. 12 - [] LA

Friday, March 30, 2007

(3) Experimental Telephone Calls made in 1884 between Christmas and New Year’s

77 (Link to history book page) Usefulness Rating (3): The event happened at Christmas and is interesting but it does not have much information about Christmas celebrations.

Grade Ratings:
Gr. 1 - [] LA [] Social
Gr. 2 - [] LA [] Social
Gr. 3 - [] LA
Gr. 4 - [] LA [] Social
Gr. 5 - [] LA
Gr. 6 - [] LA
Gr. 7 - [] LA [] Social
Gr. 8 - [] LA [] Social
Gr. 9 - [] LA
Gr. 10 - [] LA [] Social
Gr. 11 - [] LA
Gr. 12 - [] LA

Friday, December 1, 2006

Christmas (0) rating illustration

Note the date for all (0) usefulness ratings will be 12th month 2006

Wednesday, July 14, 1999

Nothing on Christmas

pg 168 nothing to do with Christmas not mentioned
pg 421 nothing on Christmas
pg 422 nothing on Christmas
pg 497 nothing on Christmas
pg 663 nothing on Christmas

Tuesday, July 14, 1998

Not Christmas

94 Charels Beaudgarde was born on Christmas Eve December 24th 1942.
Volume 1 Pages: 94 ,Page 94: Nothing much on Christmas. Charels Beaudgarde born on December 24th 1942. Not a good website for Christmas topics.
107 nothing on Christmas
168 Marie-Louise and Antoinette stayed in Medicine Hat until Christmas
176 nothing on Christmas
181 nothing on Christmas
187 nothing on Christmas
236 nothing on Christmas
306 Heavy winds continued until about Christmas time
360 Angus rebuilt his barn by about Christmas
363 nothing on Christmas
372 nothing on Christmas
421 No mention of Christmas.
426 Savard had been ill since before Christmas.
429 Jim Cassidy met Emily Gilmore at a dance before Christmas.
433 nothing on Christmas
476 When a child at five years Mary became very ill just before christmas.
497 Donation to Sunshine Christmas Fund
547 United Sunday school gave a donation to a Christmas Charity Fund.
594 Joseph Rouault and Marie started to corresponding shortly after Christmas.
598 Usefulness Rating (3): mentions Christmas a few times in the story (Gordon born on Christmas) but mostly about the family on the farm not Christmas.
607 A family moves in before Christmas Usefulness Rating (3)
621 nothing on Christmas
629 nothing on Christmas
663 Usefulness Rating ( 1): I rated this post as a 1 because it has nothing to do with Christmas except that it didn't snow till then but talks about the decade after world war II.
721 nothing on Christmas
726 nothing on Christmas
732 nothing on Christmas
737 nothing on Christmas
739 nothing on Christmas

Saturday, December 5, 1970

Page Comments

Comments were made as follows (See Links)

If the label is "Not Christmas" make a comment to the "Not Christmas" post. (94)

Decide if what is said about Christmas is a story or just a reference to Christmas.

If what is said is a reference to Christmas then make a comment to the "Reference" post. (729)

If what is said is a story make a comment to the St. Albert Christmas Stories (Summaries)

Organizing and summarizing comments:

The comments below are in page order, find other comments above and below and put them with the page order comments.

Then go to the page link and read the original story

Next edit the comments into one comment indicating if the page is mentions Christmas but is not about Christmas (Not Christmas) or refers to something about Christmas but does not say anything more (Reference) or tells a story about Christmas (Story). (See page 94)

Not Christmas
94 Charels Beaudgarde was born on Christmas Eve December 24th 1942.
Volume 1 Pages: 94 ,Page 94: Nothing much on Christmas. Charels Beaudgarde born on December 24th 1942. Not a good website for Christmas topics.
107 nothing on Christmas
168 Marie-Louise and Antoinette stayed in Medicine Hat until Christmas
176 nothing on Christmas
181 nothing on Christmas
187 nothing on Christmas
236 nothing on Christmas
306 Heavy winds continued until about Christmas time
360 Angus rebuilt his barn by about Christmas
363 nothing on Christmas
372 nothing on Christmas

Story Family/Church
107 Christmas time too was celebrated by first going to midnight mass in a horse drawn sliegh and Christmas breakfast at 3am.
167 Josephine's family barn burned down on Christmas, along with many of their possessions. She recalls not having anything in her stocking
176 Dorothy recalls celebrating Christmas and midnight Mass with her family, though visits from the family were scarce
182 Describes the Page family Christmas, involving traditions on Christmas Eve, midnight Mass, reveillon, and turkey on Christmas Day
187 Yvonne McGinnis' recollection of Christmas, including presents and celebrating with First Nations. Also tells story of their hotel burning down on Christmas Eve.
231 Christmas pudding ceremoniously set afire on Christmas evening.
238 The Delisle family's Christmas traditions included going to a midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, dinner at midnight and celebration in early morning, and Christmas supper at a different house.
242 The homesteaders made sure no one was ever alone on Christmas.
378 On Christmas day hunters would play Santa Claus. Walter Van De Walle received a pair of skates from Santa Claus.
386 Describes the school's Christmas concert during the depression
387 McDonald family Christmas Eve at St. Peters church.
405, 406 Pierre and Justine Bellerose went to Midnight Mass on Christmas.Very good explanation of going to Midnight Mass and back with horses; later on the family could afford a very cool 1925 Chevrolet.

Reference

181 Alice got a butter dish for Christmas when she was six.
207 The McDonald family went to a midnight Mass at Christmas time. Reference to Christmas concerts
236 Reference to school Christmas concerts, see page 235.
288 Memories of driving to the Christmas concert in the winter
300 All the children participated in Christmas concerts, which were the highlight of the year.
360 nothing on Christmas
363 Joseph Arcand's family Christmas.
372 Joseph M. Dalton and Matilda Gagnon's Christmas dinner at Uncle Johnny's.
386 as Children they were given Japanese oranges, Santa visited and the School had a Christmas Concert

Page Links: 19 55 77 82 83 94 107 167 168 176 181 182 187 207 231 236 238 242 288 300 306 360 363 372 378 386 387 405 406

Volume 2 Pages:

Not Christmas
421 No mention of Christmas.
426 Savard had been ill since before Christmas.
429 Jim Cassidy met Emily Gilmore at a dance before Christmas.
433 nothing on Christmas
476 When a child at five years Mary became very ill just before christmas.
497 Donation to Sunshine Christmas Fund
547 United Sunday school gave a donation to a Christmas Charity Fund.
594 Joseph Rouault and Marie started to corresponding shortly after Christmas.
598 Usefulness Rating (3): mentions Christmas a few times in the story (Gordon born on Christmas) but mostly about the family on the farm not Christmas.
607 A family moves in before Christmas Usefulness Rating (3)
621 nothing on Christmas
629 nothing on Christmas
663 Usefulness Rating ( 1): I rated this post as a 1 because it has nothing to do with Christmas except that it didn't snow till then but talks about the decade after world war II.
721 nothing on Christmas
726 nothing on Christmas
732 nothing on Christmas
737 nothing on Christmas
739 nothing on Christmas

Reference

422 Archie Lafleur arranged Christmas tree and gifts for children in the district
432 Maurice Cassidy and family sold turkeys to buy Christmas presents.
437 Christmas was a highlight in the social life of the community.
441 Louisa Siebert knit socks and mitts for her grandchildren for Christmas.
531 Christmas is an important religious feast, but New years excited the children more.
549 Wholesale of Christmas trees for Christmas.
568 The Nuns played school plays and tableaux for Christmas.
570 Family getting stuck in the ice on their way to buy a Christmas tree.
580 Mabels Father dies at Christmas the first one she was married.
628 Briefly Mentions Christmas, Ms.Gillan organized Christmas programs.
645 Usefulness Rating (2): My post is a 2 because all it really talks about is how Angus and Cecile lived and were a part of the community, it's not about Christmas, except one sentence about Christmas with their relatives. Helping hands; Cecile and Angus McDonald
721 They had Christmas concerts, rehearsing was fun.
726 Wild Rose school had special events like carnivals and Christmas carol sing-alongs.
732 Ronald Harvey School did Christmas crafts and bake sales.
737 Catholic Women's League sent hampers to needy families on Christmas day.
739 St.Albert Lions Club raised funds by raffles, car bingos, casinos, and selling Christmas trees and light bulbs.

Story

443 Describes Christmas concert at the church.
457 Describes Christmas shopping and other family stuff.
494 Teacher has vivid memories of Christmas concerts, especially one with a dramatization of Dickens' Carol.
563 This story is about a boy, Oliver who was often teased by his brothers. One Christmas, their mother bought a half-pound of almond paste as a treat. Oliver's brothers asked him to go get it and after eating the whole thing and giving Oliver none, they blamed Oliver when they were found out. Another Christmas, Bill, one of Oliver's brothers, took out the contents of Olivers stocking and put a rotten turnip in it instead.

611 More about family rather than Christmas. A family oriented Christmas, they sang Christmas carols on the way to the St. Albert Mass.

Page Links: 421 422 426 429 432 437 441 443 457 476 494 497 531 547 549 563 568 570 580 594 598 607 611 628 645 663 721 726 729 732 737 738 739

Sunday, November 1, 1970

St. Albert Christmas (History Book Project)

This project is more or less done. This is a collaborative project by St. Albert students and community members to select and rate excerpts, on Christmas, from A Black Robe's Vision : a history of St. Albert & district. Volumes 1 & 2 St. Albert Historical Society as found on http://www.ourroots.ca/.

Tuesday, July 14, 1970

Events at Christmas Time

pg 167 Stockings were hung but Santa did not come.
pg 580 Mabels mother died at Christmas time

Wednesday, July 1, 1970

posts 0701

Friday, January 30, 1970

Spike-pitched Bundles Until Christmas Eve. (2)

55 (Link to page) Usefulness Rating (2 ): Only mentions Christmas Eve. but is interesting on harvesting practices.

Tuesday, January 20, 1970

Winds & Snust (snow & dust banks

These winds continued until almost Christmas and the event led to the coining of the word "snust" meaning a mixture of snow and dust which formed banks along the roadside and fencelines and even blocked some roads completely!

Saturday, January 10, 1970

Other Events that happened at Christmas

(2) A sad Christmas

Page 580 (2)

Mabel and Armand's first Christmas togetther was a sad one. Mabel's dad died over Christmas.

pg 288 Christmas mentioned in a poem
pg 360 barn destroyed by fire and rebuild in time for Christmas
pg 429 a farmer met his wife at a dance before Christmas
pg 531 Christmas important religious festival but New Years they gave gifts and the Children enjoyed it more
pg 547 Christmas shopping used a car and money given to sunday school used for Christmas charity
pg 563 one boy was given almond paste for Christmas but his brothers ate it and he took the blame so every year he gets almond paste for Christmas
pg594 another farmer met a girl and started sending her letters at Christmas time
pg 598 the Akerman's have a son Gordon on Christmas Day
pg 607 family moved in before Christmas into there home

Monday, January 5, 1970

Pages in process

Class Pages
Christmas Eve at the St. Albert Cathedral

All Students in all classes comment on the following posts using your assigned # for the name in the name/url "Comment as" option:

St. Albert Christmas Past, Present and Future (150th Anniversary Project)

Group 1
107 , 167 , 168 , 176 , 181 , 182 , 187 , 207 , 231 ,
Group 2
236 , 242 , 288 , 300 , 306 , 360 , 363 , 372
Group 3
378, 386 /387, 421 , 422 , 426 , 429 , 432 , 437 ,
Group 4
441 , 443 , 457 , 476 , 494 , 497 , 531 , 547 , 549 ,
Group 5
563 ,568 , 570 , 580 , 594 , 598 , 607 , 611 , 628 ,
Group 6
645 , 663 , 721 , 726 , 729 , 732 , 737 , 738 , 739

Groups do the following for each page

Read what the page says about Christmas
Assign Label(s)
If the label is "Not Christmas" make a comment to the "Not Christmas" post. (94)
Decide if what is said about Christmas is a story or just a reference to Christmas.
If what is said is a reference to Christmas then make a comment to the "Reference" post. (729)
If what is said is a story make a comment to the St. Albert Christmas Stories (Summaries)

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St. Albert Christmas Network

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