Dear friends,
Today was the Christmas Party for Elders at the Indian Friendship Centre. I almost missed it. The invitation came in by phone last week. Today I had some banking to do, and then went for lunch at my usual restaurant. They know what I want. A Greek salad. This consists of tomatoes, green peppers, cucumber and olives, some onion and feta cheese with a vinegar/olive oil dressing. When I came in to this cafeterial style place where one picks up one's food at a counter, I found my salad was already prepared and immediately handed to me. I paid, and sat down at a table. Just then I remembered --it's Elders' Luncheon today! I gave the salad back to them to pack into a container for me, and they refrigerated it until I could come back later to pick it up.
Of course, by the time I got to the Friendship Centre everyone else was seated. I looked around for a place to sit, and finally found an empty chair at a table with some old ladies who agreed that I could join them. Later one of their friends arrived and as I could see she wanted to sit with them, I gave her my seat and went to sit with Lennie and three very old people in wheel-chairs. I greeted them all, and one didn't reply. Lennie said "he doesn't talk much" so I said "I just wanted to acknowledge to him that I know he's here." Later he smiled warmly at me. They were all ancient Indian gentlemen for an Elders' CareHome on the Reserve land. One was Lennie's father, 91 years old, for whom he now lovingly cares. I will write more to you about Lennie in another post later.
Now they were serving drinks: coffee, tea or juice, or both, but no alcoholic beverages as those are forbidden here. Too many Native people have alcohol problems, and here one wishes to overcome this.
A live three piece string band had been hired. They were "The Old Time Fiddlers", and they played lively ranch and cowboy type tunes from the American west. Some couples were dancing. There were more people here this time than usual. I guess because it was Christmas festivities time, and also, gifts were in the offing. At every place setting was a little paper bag, decorated, with cookies in it, as a welcoming gift for the guests. Some of the older people ate the cookies, and later couldn't finish their suppers.
The meal, served lovingly by the volunteers, (mostly non-native people who belong to the Friendship Centre and show friendship toward the natives,) consisted of the traditional turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, plus some green beans and turkey gravy. You can picture it, I guess. Now, I usually do not eat anything that ever wore feathers, but being a guest, I ate. It was OK. Now *chicken*, I probably would have left on the plate because I have a strong aversion to it due to some unpleasant childhood wartime memories.! The dessert was cake, and it was just OK. (I could have easily done without it.)
The plates were cleared away. The musicians started Christmas carols. Jingle Bells, and The Twelve Days of Christmas, The Babe in the Manger, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, and we were all asked to sing along. This is called "Singing for your supper! ;->" No, Really, I am only kidding. :-)) But we did sing. And the Santa came. He only had a red Santa hat on, the rest was just regular clothes. He had lights on his Santa hat that lit up in sequence, going around his head. The guests were glad to get their gifts. I got a little gift, too. As these were all wrapped, I took mine home to save until my birthday.
The Friendship Centre receives grants from the Federal government, and therefore, nobody had to buy a ticket or pay. They do many other things there. They have programs to overcome alcohol and drug abuse, social programs, children's programs put on by native people and non-native people. Lately they also run English as a Second Language programs for immigrants, also sponsored by the federal government. I have been a member of this Friendship Centre for at least fifteen years and when I was younger I participated in talent night as a stand-up comic. Now they appreciate me for being an elder, and I guess they like to see non-native people there, too.
Some more music, and some dancing for a few couples, and then we started for the door. I wished the organizers a Merry Christmas and went back to the restaurant to retrieve my salad which I had for my dinner tonight. Now what was so strange about that party, as the title says it was?
Just this: in the old Canadian Native Indian heritage there was no Jesus Christ nor Christmas. And I, a Baha'i who does not really celebrate this Christmas festival at home took part in it and am reporting the story to you, who mostly also do not have Christmas, but rather a Spring Festival coming up.
The religious significance of Christmas is, by now, often missed by the general public. Merchants have, over the years, commercialized this once purely Christian religious Festival. But good fellowship and unity among the participants was evident, and as the wish goes, "Peace and Friendship to All the People in the World!"
Wishing you dear forum members "The Best of the Holiday Season!" :-))
Uncle Ben
