This Christmas, I spoke by phone with my 90-year-old cousin Jackie about her timeless decorations. Among spun cotton mushrooms and sparkling icicles, I glimpsed a century of family memories. As she described sitting by the tree with the fire glowing, I was reminded that Christmas is not just about gifts—but about stories, laughter, and gratitude.

Ernest Fiset and Deveta Collins were married in 1926 at a small prairie church in Plessis, Saskatchewan. Life was hard from the start—Deveta gave birth three times in two and a half years, losing two babies to premature birth. Their story, traced through a faded newspaper clipping, a colourized wedding photo, and a quiet cemetery on the prairie, reflects the challenges of rural life in 1920s Saskatchewan.

Honouring my 2nd great-grandmother, Céline (Papillon) Fiset—her resilience, struggles, and legacy live on this International Women's Day.

A decades-old census find led me to Maggie Grassie’s story—her journey from 1856 Edinburgh to Canada, and a surprise heirloom connection.