In Tsiigehtchic, for as long as anyone can remember, feasts and dances have been the way to mark special occasions. Christmas is no different.

"The whole community's invited. We have a feast and a band come from out of the community to perform," says recreation coordinator Sheila Blake, who is organizing this year's festivities.

Blake stays in touch with Aklavik, Fort McPherson and Inuvik to avoid overlapping feast days. That way friends and relatives from neighbouring communities can join in, too.

Christmas in Tsiigehtchic revolves around two major events -- the school Christmas concert, and the feast and dance. This year's concert took place Thursday. The Christmas feast is planned for Dec. 27 or 28.

Both events take place in the community gym, which everyone helps to decorate. "All the decorations are mostly homemade," Blake says.

During the concert, Santa Claus comes for a visit, and he's got gifts for everyone.

Each year, the community orders about 200 Christmas presents for every single resident to receive. "We're lucky we're just from a small community, so we can afford to do that," Blake says.

The company she orders from selects and wraps gifts such as mitts, hunting knives and tea towels, so when Santa arrives, the gifts are ready to go.

"Sometimes if there's an odd child or person who's from out of town, someone calls in advance and I make sure there's a gift for them," Blake says.

With about $5,000-$6,000 in donations, Tsiigehtchic can give gifts to all its residents and buy enough food for the feast.

On feast day, Blake goes door-to-door to ask people what they can cook. If someone's willing to bake the potatoes, Blake gives them everything they need to make the dish. At dinner time, it's ready.

"We provide everything for the whole Christmas dinner, and everyone cooks."