Villages promoting Christmas spirit
Posted Nov 27, 2009 By Charelle Evelyn
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EMC Entertainment Community groups are working to bring Christmas cheer to residents long before Santa packs up his sleigh.
Charelle Evelyn
Richard Palframan, a.k.a. the Gingerbread Man, is bracing himself for his busiest weekend. He will be stepping out in costume during the Santa Claus parade and offering free cookies to customers during Manotick's Olde Fashioned Christmas Dec. 6.
The first weekend of December will be a festive one in the villages of Osgoode and Manotick, as they mount their Christmas in the Village and Olde Fashioned Christmas, respectively.
The Osgoode Village Community Association (OVCA) is looking forward to a well-attended Dec. 5 event.
After a few years of declining participation, Christmas in the Village has started to build itself back up, said Trudy Quinn, OVCA president.
"It was very bleak for a few years," she said, adding that as of a few years ago, the day's program was nothing more than a breakfast and parade.
Now that the event is on the upswing, there is a full day of activities planned, starting with Breakfast with Santa at 7 a.m. Now in its 17th year, the breakfast has always been successful and raises money for the Osgoode Cooperative Nursery School.
The trend of giving continues during the Santa Claus Parade down Main St. at 11:30 a.m. Onlookers are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to be picked up by Scouts during the parade.
A big draw for the Saturday morning is expected to be the street hockey game in Market Square at 12:45 p.m. "Hot chocolate, fire in a barrel and hockey," said Ms. Quinn. "How can you go wrong?"
Residents and visitors can make a full day of it in Osgoode, with events stretching well into the night.
"(The events) are all so much fun," said Ms. Quinn. "If you look at the schedule, you can actually do absolutely everything."
The full schedule for Christmas in the Village can be found on the OVCA website at www.osgoodevillage.com.
The Manotick Business Improvement Area (BIA) is focusing its energies on turning back the clock Dec. 6.
"The village is transformed into a place of yesteryear," explained Donna Cooper, executive director of the BIA.
The morning kicks off with Breakfast with Father and Mary Christmas, while the rest of the day includes family-oriented activities such as horse-drawn wagon rides and face painting and crafts in the Mews.
Visitors will also be serenaded by two vocal groups Northern Reflections and the Renaissance Carolers who will stroll through the village singing Christmas carols.
Some businesses use the weekend as an opportunity to have a Christmas open house, added Mrs. Cooper, with complimentary treats on hand for customers.
One of those merchants will be the Gingerbread Man on Tighe St. Richard Palframan will be offering free cookies to customers Sunday afternoon. Though, as one of the best-smelling shops in the village, most people don't need much incentive to visit.
The Olde Fashioned Christmas is typically Mr. Palframan's busiest weekend of the year.
"It will be crazy," he said. "About 800 people come through here on the weekend."
After six years in Manotick, the Gingerbread Man is expanding his season. No longer just an October through December operation, the shop will now be open year-round allowing Mr. Palframan's customers to become familiar with his other delicious recipes that are not gingerbread.
A full schedule for the Olde Fashioned Christmas is available at www.manotickvillage.com.
