My first Christmas in Canada was something very close to a perfect one. School was out for a well due christmas break by the 21st of December 2012. I was very much looking forward to it because after getting a taste of skiing last winter, I just could not wait to go again. But more importantly, I wanted to witness what a Canadian christmas would be like. Christmas eve and Christmas day itself came in a flash. On the night of Christmas Eve, we had dinner at my host-dad’s parents house and had a cheery gift opening session. It was all very strangely pleasant to me because it was nothing like a Christmas eve dinner back home. On Christmas morning, even more presents were unwrapped from stockings and the little mountain under the tree. Myself, My host parents, host-siblings, host-cousins and their parents all met at my host-mom’s parent’s house and after breakfast, the rest of the day was all merry making and running around to get christmas dinner ready. As fast as it came, christmas was gone and we had to put away the decorations and take out the tree.
However,I was not as sad as I should have been because in a matter of days, I was going skiing south of BC. On the 28th, we left Fort St John and after a day and several hours, we finally got to Kelowna which is a few hours from two of the largest mountains is BC; Big White and Silver Star. Our first ski day was the 30th. It turned out to be nothing like I imagined and the mountain was huge. However, after the first couple of days, and a lot of coaching and advice from my host family, I finally mustered up the courage and by the last day of our ski trip on the 5th of January, I was racing down the hill with considerable ease. It was really sad when we had to return to Fort St John and start school a day later.
However, anytime I think about last Christmas, I find myself smiling and I owe the best christmas ever to my wonderful host Family.
Thomas