Canadian Christmas celebrations are similar to Americans. In some
regions, Eskimos observe a big winter festival called Sinck Tuck. It
features dances, parties and exchanging gifts. Children in Labrador
receive lighted candles pushed into hollowed out turnips that are saved
from the summer harvest. Scottish highlanders, who settled in Nova
Scotia, over two centuries ago sing British songs and carols in
Christmas mornings. During the twelve days of Christmas, small groups of
belsnicklers or masked mummers, go from door to door, making rude noises
and actions, ringing bells and asking for candy or other treats. If the
hosts guess who the mummers are correctly, then they remove their
disguise and stop behaving riotously.
Mummers interview the children and those who say that they have been
good in the past year, receive candy as reward. Christmas home
decorations in Quebec feature Crèches or Nativity scenes. In
Canada, tourtiere or pork pie is served to everybody who attends the
Midnight Mass. The popular Christmas traditional food is Boulettes
(small meatballs). The traditional Christmas banquet is known as
'Reveillon' and includes roast turkey, vegetables and sauces. In British
Columbia, fresh or smoked salmon is often served as an accompaniment to
Christmas turkey. Rich and fruity Christmas pudding with brandy sauce
serves as desserts, which are followed by mince pies and dried fruits
and nuts.
