continue reading hover preload topbar hover preload widget hover preload
December 10 2010Posted by: Eric Philpott

Christmas at Black Creek

Check out the Events Page to see some of the lovely things for families to do at Black Creek Pioneer Village this holiday season. It’s not about any denomination or ethnic group: it really is Christmas for everyone. We already get it at the shopping malls, why not show the kids how it used to be. Every day is Christmas at the Village, from now until it closes for the season on December 23rd.

December 9 2010Posted by: Eric Philpott

The Cabinet Maker

I was at Black Creek last Friday and visited the Cabinet Maker’s shop. He demonstrated toys that children would have played with in pioneer times. I was struck by how excellent the staff at the Village are: they are knowledgeable and really know how to present themselves and their information. The group I was with asked questions and enjoyed the encounter very much.

If you haven’t gone lately, take your kids! It’s magical at there at Christmas.

The cabinet maker at Black Creek Pioneer Village

December 8 2010Posted by: Eric Philpott

Visiting NYC

December has a weird series of unfortunate anniversaries in a row: the 6th is the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre (how do you explain that one to your kids?); the 7th is the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor (not as immediate for our generation, but an event very much on a scale with 9/11 for its time), and today, December 8, the anniversary of John Lennon’s murder. A week ago I was in New York City with my son and we happened across the Lennon memorial in Central Park.

This mandala is in Strawberry Fields, a part of Central Park dedicated to the memory of John Lennon.

It’s a beautiful spot with signs encouraging people to be quite and contemplative when they enter the area. And that is just one of the things we saw.

December 6 2010Posted by: Eric Philpott

Our American Thanksgiving Trip

Every year at the end of November we drive down to New York State to celebrate American Thanksgiving with great family friends. They have a farm in the country so the trip usually involves some good, healthy outdoor work, a great way to metabolize the Thanksgiving Feast. Just to be clear: we feast and work on different days.

Beautiful Upstate New York

Read more…

December 2 2010Posted by: Eric Philpott

Toy Mountain at Black Creek Pioneer Village

Christmas is coming! For most of us that is a special time of year, but with reports that record numbers of Canadians are accessing food banks across the country, this Christmas will not be so easy for many families.

I’m happy to report that Black Creek Pioneer Village is joining the Toy Mountain campaign organized by CTV and the Salvation Army. Visitors to the Village are asked to bring new, unwrapped toys which will be distributed later to children in need of a little extra cheer this year.

Let’s do what we can to help each other out. A little generosity can go a long way, and help make this a better city for all of us.