Christmas Enchantment Brings Out the Magic of Christmas

The TsiSnaihne Recreation Center was the place to be this past weekend to get into the holiday spirit, shop, eat, chat with Santa Claus, see Elves scurry about and, if really lucky, win one of the fabulously decorated trees complete with gifts.

The enchanted weekend started on Friday by a special invitation extended to the students of TsiSnaihne and Kanatakon. They had cookies and milk before being escorted into the festival to view the trees. Totas were then invited for lunch to dine on corn soup and biscuits with Tribal and Mohawk Council administration. At 3:00 p.m. the Festival was opened to the public until 8:00 p.m.

On Saturday the Festival opened the doors at 10:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00p.m. for much needed rest for Santa and his Elves. Sunday was the short day, but probably the busiest, with activities starting at 10:00 a.m. until the much anticipated drawing for the trees at 4:00 p.m.

Waiting for the drawing of the trees was not a boring event with all the activities going on at the recreation center. There was a Secret Santa Shop where children could shop for Christmas gifts for their families with the help of Elves. This was an exclusive club since there was a large sign on the door saying “No Adults”. Another busy place was the Chinese Auction booth. Many nice prizes were leaving with the lucky winners. Local craft vendors and artisans displayed and sold their amazing talents. For a small donation to the Homemakers, one could purchase an ornament and write a deceased loved one’s name on it to put on the Memorial Tree. On Sunday several pickles were put in the trees and the finder won $10.00 in tickets.

Of course the highlight of the whole event was the viewing of the trees and then selecting the tree or trees that one wanted to bid on. Bidding was done by purchasing tickets and depositing them in the container next to the tree. Tickets were sold in multiples of six for $5.00. One could put as many tickets as he/she wanted into the tree’s container and bid on as many trees as he/she wanted.

Over 30 trees were donated by businesses or families and friends and some trees are in memory of a loved one. Each tree was different and beautifully decorated with lights, garland, bulbs, ribbon, homemade ornaments, sweetgrass ornaments, gift certificates, lottery tickets, and whatever else to make it unique. There was even an upside down tree that caught everyone’s attention. There was also a friendly competition between the fans of the Montreal Canadians and the Boston Bruins to see who can collect the most tickets. The drawing produced a winner for each respective tree but an extra winner for the team with the most tickets or the “fan favorite”. The Montreal Canadians tree was the fan favorite with 1074 tickets while the Boston Bruin tree collected 1010. Since the Montreal tree won, it earned the honor of having another ticket to be drawn. The winner of this ticket received a rocker/recliner with the Montreal Canadian logo on it. The lucky winner of the chair was Randy Jock.

Winning a beautifully decorated tree is a nice win but the donors took it to another level by also including gifts under the tree. Some of the gifts that were given with the trees were fireplaces, televisions, a wine rack, a generator, mini refrigerator, quilts, games, books, toys, movies, gift certificates, sweetgrass baskets and many other wonderful gifts.

A full concession stand was in operation the whole weekend so everyone’s hunger could be satisfied.

This early kick off to the holiday season has a very interesting origin. In March of 2003 the original recreation hall burnt. The construction on a new hall began and was finished in 2004. “Even with the insurance money and donations there was still not enough funds to replace everything that we had before” commented Lorraine Bero, volunteer for the Snye recreation hall. Bero was given the idea to do a Festival of Trees similar to the one that the Lung Association used to do at the Cornwall Armory. “I didn’t know what a Festival of Trees was” added Bero, “I had never been to one”.

The first Christmas Enchantment was “just about ten decorated trees plopped in the gym with no gifts. It looked like a Charlie Brown Christmas,” laughed Bero. Mae Green, another volunteer said “each year we get bigger and better. We get suggestions on how to improve and more people come out to support us. We were able to raise the money that we needed to finish what needed to be done for the recreation hall. About four years ago we picked a charity that we wanted to help with a donation”.

After the bills are paid and money is set aside for programming and the continual upgrades that face the center, donations will be made to TsiSnaihne, Kanatakon, AMS and Freedom Schools, St. Regis Mohawk School PTO, HAVFD Station 3 and Iakhihsohtha Volunteer Fund.

The Snye Recreation Committee is made up of all volunteers. When an activity needs to be done, phone calls go out to get the volunteers together. “Who comes, comes. We organize work bees, offer food, get the job done then go home,” says Green. There are no paid board members or officers, just volunteer community people helping to better the lives of others in the community. The center also sponsors an annual Easter Egg Hunt, Halloween party, a youth golf program, Kids In the Kitchen cooking program and a summer youth program. The summer program provides a trip once a week, snacks and activities to school age children. It also provides jobs to teens to work the program as youth workers. The center also offers classes in quilting, beading and basket making. “If there is an activity that someone wants to see happen than he/she can let us know and we can try it” says Green.

“The Christmas Enchantment takes two weeks to set up and about four hours to take down,” says Green “but we have families and organizations that help out”. If anyone would like to get involved or donate a tree next year, the Snye Recreation number is (613) 575-2496. Not only are the trees beautiful and magical but so is the community spirit and love that goes into this event.

2012 Christmas Enchantment winners

Gingerbread Tree donated by Wayne & Mae Green and family – Terra Lewis

Splint Basket Tree donated by the Peters Memorial – Taryn Thompson

Dr. Seuss Tree donated by Learn-N-Bloom and Cook’s Greenery – Karhiiostha Benedict

The Entertainment Tree donated by Snye Recreation – Greg Benedict

The Strawberry Shortcake Tree donated by Missy & Maggie King and Family- Cecelia Confer

The Home Sweet Home Tree donated by Dream Crafters Gift Shop – Fez Sunday

The Pet Tree donated by Jake, Brenda LaFrance and Jan Brown – Brant and Clayton Thompson

Let it Blow, Let it Snow, off to Tota’s House We Go Tree donated by CKON – Sheila Loran

Tim Horton/Papa John’s Tree donated by TMG – Issac McDonald

The Reading Tree donated by AMBE Parent Committee – Charles Laffin

The “Hoss” Mitchell Memorial Tree donated by Roger, Cathy and the Mitchell Family– Lorna Francis

The Dog Tree donated by Akwesasne Iethionronh:kwa ne Katshenao:kon – Corrin Burns

The Learning Tree donated by the St. Regis PTO – Brandi King

Lacrosse Tree donated by Vaughn & Collette Sunday – Dayne Thomas

Homemaker’s Tree donated by Akwesasne Homemakers – Heather Hebbrecht

Akwesasne Tree donated by Mohawk Government – Denise Clute

Shivering Snowman Blow Up donated by St. Regis Recreation – Braydon Smoke

Indian Time Strawberry Basket donated by Indian Time- Wishe Green

Phineas & Ferb Tree donated by Lynn Thompson and Karrie Benedict – Fabian Hart

Thomas the Train Tree donated by Snye Recreation – Travis Heron

Little Girl Tree donated by Elaine Thompson – Margaret Jock

Thanksgiving Tree donated by April Benedict – Alice Thompson

Sleigh and Reindeer donated by Snye Recreation – Sally Mulvana

Tinkerbell Tree donated by Diane Lazore and Family – Cecelia Guay

Artist and Craft Tree donated by Tina Thompson and Keely – Loretta Lazore

Red, Green & Gold w/Fireplace donated by HAVFD/Station 3 – Dorothy Shatlaw

Quilt and Pillows donated by Cornwall Island Recreation - Wayne Mitchell

Boy Tree donated by Tri District Elders – Guzzy Lazore

Sponge Bob Tree donated by Village Currency – Doris Cree

Lacrosse Tree donated by Joe and Lorna Francis – Grace Chubb

“Twas the Family Movie and Munchies Night” Tree donated by Bentley, Gertrude & Vance Gray - Barb George

Angry Birds Tree donated by ACFS - Gatlin Pyke

Santa Blow Up donated by Lynne Thompson and Grandchildren – Dea Boots

Boston Bruins Tree donated by Harry Comins and Wilber Barnes Sr. Memorial – Toni Cook

Montreal Canadian Tree donated by Dave Curry Memorial – Nolan Johnson

Montreal Canadian Rocker/Recliner – Randy Jock

Winter Wonderland Quilt raffle - Mary & Larry White