Hi All; Our Ancestors could never imagine that their "Christmas Tradition" could change from a blissful, religious, a "no worry, no nonsense", hardly any gift exchanges and real Christmas Trees to "not so religious", in some cases the real meaning of Christmas lost through worries and fear of not having enough funds for that highly expensive gift for a loved one or friend, an Artificial Christmas Tree decorated so beautiful with different colors of ELECTRIC lights gleaming through inside and outside of the homes. What a magnificent sight, oh, but only if they could return, just for one hour, one hour? yes, they would surely drop dead from the change and beauty of it all. There would be a mulitude of questions and oh yes, why are the Church Bells not ringing on Christmas Eve in our beautiful little out-ports any longer? where have all the Settlers migrated too? why, we don't even have fish cooked for dinner on Christmas Eve!! What? did I misunderstand? no more fishing off our New! foundland and Labrador Shores? Where did all the fish go me by? my oh my, the Roads are so nice and smooth!! did you call it pavement? what is it? why do you all have these cold stone cellars?? wood is much better and not near as damp. What do you call that Bird sitting on the Table? huh, Turkey eh? what happened to Rabbits, Turs, Ducks or even a Goose? no by, really? what's a LICENCE? What have you guys did to yerselves? Where's all of the "Mummers? What kind of Government is in power now? thought so!! Ok ggggg grandfather!!! this is life as it is today for us and you ALL made it possible and better for us, I think!!! I still celebrate our old traditional Christmas, try to anyways, with the exception of the Turkey, Tree, lights and the great exchange of gifts and I do have a car. I still make my old fashioned Christmas molasses Bread, jiggs dinner along with the Turkey, never was too fond of the heavy fruit cakes that grandmother made, but I have changed to making Gum drop cake, peach and boiled raisin, cherry and Apricot cakes and they too are so yummy. I also make "Cut Glass Cookies" on December 23rd. Cut Glass? yep, but it's jello or jelly!! not glass by!! no more "Mummers" come around here and I do miss that tradition. We now fill our own stockings, no Christmas striped candy, peppermint knobs, cake and fruit, but a lot of cute small gifts stuffed in there. I cook my dinner on an ELECTRIC Stove and just have to turn the switch on for light throughout the entire house, what a switch Grandfather, huh? but I sure would love a reunion for just one more "Old Fashion Christmas" with Santa being pulled by Horses and Sleigh and a real tree with no pretty lights, just tinsel, garland and old fashioned Bulbs and the smell of dinner cooking on that old wood burning Stove again, just once again!! dress up and tag along with the other Mummers. "Lest we ever forget our old fashioned traditional Newfoundland and Labrador Christmas". Cheers Evelyn