DUNROBIN – The Christmas season officially kicked off in West Carleton Sunday (Dec. 1) with two wonderful annual events to mark the season.

While Christmas craft sales are definitely Christmassy, they are certainly more about preparing for the holiday season then celebrating it so, West Carleton Online’s unofficial poll declares Dec. 1 the official start to the Christmas season in West Carleton.

And it started in Dunrobin.

What is fast becoming a beautiful, popular evening annual event, the Dunrobin and Area’s Women’s Institute (WI) hosted their fourth annual Dunrobin Tree Lighting ceremony on the greenspace at the intersection of Dunrobin Road and the Thomas A. Dolan Parkway Sunday (Dec. 1) evening.

Last year more than 100 members of the community came out to take part in the event, in large part due to the close proximity to the tornado that ripped through the Dunrobin community only a few months previously.

This year there was a smaller crowd, but more Christmas lights. And there was three-year-old Weston Braun. A young Dunrobin boy that brought the enthusiasm in spades despite the bone-chilling wind blowing through the intersection and greenspace.

“This year we have 11 strands of lights on the tree,” WI President Beth McEwan told West Carleton Online from the warm confines of nearby St. Paul’s Anglican Church where an endless supply of homemade treats was on hand along with hot chocolate and marshmallows. “It works.”

After the lights were officially turned on, community members helped finish decorating the tree and then gathered to sing a few carols before heading to the church for warmth and snacks.

About 50 people attended the lighting and organizers thought of everything having a roaring fire going nearby, but not too close to the guest of honour – one of the few trees in Dunrobin that survived the tornado.

“It was great, it was cold, but we had a nice little fire going,” McEwan said.

Community Carol hosted by churches of Fitzroy Harbour

FITZROY HARBOUR – Keeping it indoors, the congregation of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Bethel-St. Andrews United Church and St. George’s Anglican Church as well as members of the public gathered to sing Christmas carols Sunday evening (Dec. 1).

The evening of carols was held in the united church and led by Bethel-St. Andrew’s Rev. Dr. Christine Johnson, Fr. John Orban of St. Michael’s Catholic Church and Fr. John Stopa of St. George’s Anglican Church. 

Close to 50 people filled the pews. Some carols were led by community members at the front while others were chosen by the audience with everyone singing. There were also a few readings by those in attendance.

After the carols, the carolers gathered in the church hall for snacks hosted by the United Church Women.

This coming weekend has a number of holiday events scheduled in West Carleton including another tree-lighting, West Carleton’s first of two parades and of course, more markets. Click the following link to visit our Events Calendar: https://westcarletononline.com/events/.