I promised readers of yesterday's blog tales of turkey. Gobble gobble. The Christmas season officially kicked off in the small corner of my northern Alberta on Friday. You are looking at shots from our neighbouring town's Christmas parade, small but spirited. My own village had their seasonal celebration the following Saturday morning. In comparison to the town next door parade, our procession was a blink but it too featured candy, and lots of it. Minime once again stuffed his pockets with candy canes and left over Halloween O'Henrys.

We are a one main street kind of place. That said we have our own library, which was hosting a Christmas bake sale. Alas there were no gluten free items, and we had to take a pass, but for those that can partake, the homemade goodies looked amazing. I will have to get into the kitchen soon and do some gluten free and low carb baking.

No cookies or mince meat pies for us, but the plus 55 club across the streeet had hot chocolate and hot dogs. Minime enjoyed both, but sans bun. I enjoyed the syrupy ... if you get my drift ... coffee I brought from home. Minime also hung out a bit with the neighbour children. We popped into the Store, a pretty useful thrift shop the local Anglican Church runs. I bought yet another two Christmas-themed candle holders and then we headed for the hi-light of the day. Turkey bingo.

The weather continued to be unseasonably fine, and so there was no shivering, as we shuffled and slid our way over to the Elk's Hall. The repetitive freezing and melting cycles made it a precarious walk. But we made it without twisting an ankle or getting personal with the asphalt and ice. That came later courtesy of my own driveway, which I keep forgetting to salk.

If you were going to make a whole day of it, things could get pricey. but you would no doubt take home three times your wieght in turkey and ham. Two dollars got you four cards per game. Minime and I each took two. So if you want to play for any significant time. you pockets will need to be jingling with lose change. I will make a note to save up for next tear. That said, I absolutely got my money's worth. Wouldn't you know it, I won a turky the second game out. And then if I was't annoying enough. I won the next game too. Alas it was a tie and I lost the bingo-off. Something I did not know existed until then. We played another couple games and then went home until later when my mother and my nieces were also free to play. We returned and the luck fairies went on coffee break. We blew the bingo budget and were about to go when a little voice said 'play one more game'. So we did and this time Minime got the bingo. His first day ever playing bingo and he was a winner. I think mommy might have been more excited than him, but a win is a win. His smile was small but it was there.

The biggest win however is that my sister has agreed to prepare the turkeys on Christmas Day. I am already looking forward to next's year's Turkey Bingo day. Maybe I will win a ham to go with the fowl.

Hope the seasonal festivities are lively and colorful where you are too.