Having just split with her partner of 11 years, single mom Rachel Sutherland broke the news to her kids that it would be a lean Christmas this year.
“I said to the kids: ‘There’s not going to be much of a Christmas this year,’” said Sutherland, a mother of four. Her seven-year-old son, Seth, responded in a way that brought a tear to her eye. “He said: ‘Mom, it’s not about the presents as long as we’re together.’ It made me feel better that he understands the true meaning of Christmas.”
Sutherland has been coming to the Christmas Spirit Community Dinner at Glad Tidings Church in Victoria for 11 years, almost half of the 23 years it has been running. In two sittings on Wednesday at noon and 3 p.m., the dinner served 420 people, and fed hundreds more through a barbecue outside.
Looking around at the other families sharing in the annual Christmas Day meal for those in need, Sutherland said there’s nowhere else she would rather spend the holiday.
“Being together, whether you’re a stranger or a neighbour, we’re all different and we all have our own situations in life. But we’re uniting in one room and having a great meal together as one.”
Sutherland’s 11-month-old daughter, Makayla, grabbed onto her mom’s finger with one hand, the other clutching a sticky red, white and green lollipop.
Makayla will celebrate her first birthday on Sunday, which Sutherland considers a miracle since the child suffered a scary medical emergency when she was only three months.
She had 11 seizures in a row and “went lifeless in my arms,” Sutherland said. “I thought the Creator was going to take her back.”
Makayla was in the intensive care unit at Victoria General Hospital and doctors couldn’t determine what caused the seizures. She recovered and is being closely monitored by a neurologist.
To add to the stress, Sutherland and her partner split in October, which has made this year especially hard for the family.
“The kids are used to having mom and dad at Christmas,” she said. But Sutherland said the family spent Christmas Eve decorating the house and watching holiday movies.
Four-year-old Alaya said she was happy to wake up Christmas morning and find presents under the tree. She proudly showed off her silver dress and matching shoes, a gift from Santa.
For the first time in many years, Sutherland will not get to wish a merry Christmas to her 15-year-old stepson, Derrick, who now lives with his father.
“My heart is with him, I’m thinking of him,” she said.
For Christina Parkhurst, who organizes the annual dinner, the goal has always been to make the guests feel like they’re surrounded by family.
“What we try to do is ... create the experience of family in coming here over the holidays. Our goal is to create a magical experience for people just to come and relax so they know they’re looked after and that they’re loved,” Parkhurst said.
Planning started months ago, when families began registering to make sure their kids got personalized presents from Santa. Volunteers also gave out 580 stockings stuffed with toiletries and other essentials.
A mix-up with the turkey order two weeks ago left Parkhurst worried they’d have no meat to fill the plates. But an Ontario businessman from Beach Road Meats stepped up and donated the money for 45 birds — about 400 kilograms of turkey — which were prepared by Truffles Catering at Royal Roads University.
About 160 volunteers were on hand to serve the food, give out gifts and keep the organized chaos running smoothly.
First-time volunteer Gizelle River, 56, said helping serve the dinner was the most fulfilling Christmas she’s had in decades.
“When you volunteer, you help find the ‘us’ in Christmas,” she said.
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