- and what have you done, another year older and a new one just begun, and so Happy Christmas we hope you had fun, the near and the dear ones, the old and the young. A very merry Christmas and a happy new year lets hope it’s a good one without any fear, for weak and for strong, for the rich and for poor ones the road is so long….for black and white for yellow and red ones we can stop all the fights… And so this is Christmas and what have we done, another year older and a new one just begun, A very merry Christmas and a happy new year lets hope it’s a good one without any fear,”
- John and Yoko written over 20 years ago.
The above is just some food for thought as we approach year-end.
This blog is intended to cover some of the activities in the last few days as I balance my solitary vs. social nature. In addition to work, I have been on call so not venturing far from my suite and with a radio phone always in the parka pocket. Monday was only a half-day and some dog sled
races a few of which I saw around noon.
On Christmas Day I did manage to make it out on my skis 
once on the sea ice despite minus 30 temps and warnings of polar bears....not seen any although given warnings.
It was exceedingly windy and despite being well bundled did manage a spot of frost bite on my nose....oh well the season for Rudolf is it not! The wind carves wonderful shapes in the snow
and softens the edge of the horizon in these shots back towards the hamlet. 
Note the double rings of "sun dogs “ I know that rings around the moon or moon dogs are formed from ice crystals and often indicate a weather change. Cannot testify to any weather changes here except cold windy and beautiful.
There are activities at the community complex happening right from Christmas through New Years, each day often sponsored by a different organization.
A few I have been able to attend have included children’s races, a contest with this piece of bone 
that was suspended from the ceiling and along with another social worker, we were asked to judge the best decorated Christmas cake, which were then auctioned off.
This one looking like an igloo got #1.
Now you must admit this preschooler certainly had her eyes on what was number one!
The church seems to play an important part in the social fabric of the community, especially among the Inuit. The Christmas Day church service in the hall had all four denominations, Catholic, Anglican, Alliance and Pentecostal represented with hymns in Inuktitut, some traditional such as “ Il est ne, le petit enfant “ and Joy to the World to praise of Lift Jesus Higher, scripture readings and prayers for an elder who was brought in on his bed. Sunday morning, I found the local Anglican Church for 11 AM service, again no English but being a long term Anglican, one generally knows the format of the liturgy and recognizes the tunes of the carols…very welcoming when visitors introduced. Christmas Eve was almost a total blizzard, so made as far as the 10 PM Catholic church and participated in the mass, which for me personally meaningful to be able to have the Eucharist and thank goodness for permission from “Father Dan,”
a returning priest who obviously held much affection and familiarity with his congregation. I arrived early and watching the instructions for all the children who were helpers was abit of a hoot, as the baby Jesus had to be put back in the manger just so and the girls in their capes, one of whom kept smiling at me.
My experience in the past has been that at most public events or services, Inuit children often roam quite freely in the aisles or the sides of the hall, but I did notice in both the smaller church services an effort was made by parents and in one case, an older man to remind them to sit still at appropriate times.
These is not a comment on Inuit vs. non-Inuit children just an observation….I like the involvement of the many generations in these gatherings and think comparatively that such comings and goings of children and teens are not common in many of our churches in the south. It is really a balance of respect for the service but welcome and involvement for children. Certainly raising my own children, I got uptight about having them be quiet and then there were reasons whether teen or toddlers we sat in the balcony (see my previous article on Balcony People and Dim Sum) But all in all, have come to the conclusion that just having them there, is more important than worrying about the details of behavior. Came home to me as recently a earlier this month when I brought the 12 and 14 year old girls to a carol evening service, and they left several times and some comments were made that they should have been quieter…so just a few thoughts.
I got a little 12-inch tree, half price from the Northern 
for my suite and brought some gifts with me from Edmonton.
My sister and friends know me too well by the gifts sent… all the little notes....coffee, candles, chocolate, some good books but it was the street map of Edmonton and watch that killed me.
Today...I wish you a day of ordinary miracles- 
A fresh pot of coffee you didn't have to make yourself. An unexpected phone call from an old friend. 
If you don't send this to anyone, it means you're in a hurry and we'll all understand. 
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