What would Santa bring to children?
Enterprise council debates appropriate Christmas gifts
Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, December 8, 2014
ENTERPRISE
At this time of year, families throughout the NWT are struggling with the usual Christmas dilemmas.
What should they get the kids for Christmas? And, what would be an appropriate amount of money to spend?
It turns out even the Hamlet of Enterprise is facing those two perplexing questions.
At a meeting on Dec. 1, council members had an at-times testy debate on what gifts should be purchased for community Christmas event on Dec. 18.
The issue was raised by Coun. Chaal Cadieux - participating in the meeting by telephone - who said he had heard concerns from organizers of the Christmas party about whether or not there would be individualized gifts for children.
"That's pretty much been the tradition around here," said Cadieux, who voices support for maintaining the status quo.
However, others on council - along with the hamlet's senior administrative officer (SAO) - disagreed.
SAO Hermann Minderlein said in previous years, some children did not attend the event to pick up their individualized gifts, which are usually ordered from Edmonton.
"So what we've suggested is to go out and provide a gift bag," he said, noting that would include such things as a candy cane and a movie pass.
Cadieux said he was not aware of gifts ever being purchased in Edmonton, but Coun. Jim Dives noted he personally picked up the gifts in the Alberta capital last year.
"Unfortunately, I think about three of those gifts got given away. The rest of them got donated to a school. I think it is a big waste of money," said Dives.
Dives said most children just want to talk to Santa and explain what they want for Christmas.
"If they get a free pass to a movie or to swimming included with that, I think they'd be absolutely thrilled," he said, adding it doesn't have to be a big gift.
