A Prince Edward Island Christmas: Nowadays and Long Ago

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

Every aspect of a traditional Christmas as celebrated on Prince Edward
Island is touched on in this small collection of nostalgia. Food,
weather, trees, concerts, carols, gifts, stockings, and family
celebrations are all given space. The style is bland, with few personal
touches.

The island has a predominantly rural economy, until recently dependent
on agriculture and fishing. In many respects Christmas there is very
similar to what would be encountered in any rural area of Canada.
Variations come from the closeness of the Atlantic and the availability
of seafood, plus the Lebanese, Acadian, and Mi’kmaq influences. An
old-fashioned, almost Victorian, tone to the season is supported by the
community feeling of the small population (tourists have departed with
the summer warmth) and a culture rich in handicrafts and
self-sufficiency.

The book is colourfully illustrated with commercial-quality photos. It
would be a great Christmas card for ex-islanders and is certain to serve
as a trigger for storytelling and reminiscing by older inhabitants.