On December 11, Shki Waase-Aaban Binoojiinh Gamik (Daycare)and the Early Learning 1 & 2 classes from Biidaaban Kinoomaagegamik joined together with Elders at the Eagle Lodge for some Christmas Cookie Decorating fun. Lots of sprinkles, icing, coloured fingers, faces and tongues, and smiles bigger and brighter than the ones you see on the Tim Horton’s smile cookies! It was a busy beehive of activity in the Lodge dining room and entrance area, where tables and chairs were set up to accommodate all the students, supporting caregivers, staff, and, of course, Elders. Miigwech to the team at Elders Eagle Lodge in the kitchen and administration, who collaborated with the two schools to arrange and provide this enjoyable, interactive experience.
With bowls of sprinkles in every colour and shape, and tubes of icing ready to decorate the cookie creations, our cookie designing masters had their hands and hearts full of sweetness. Everyone mingled, and both students and Elders were interspersed throughout the gathering area. The dining room television displayed a welcoming Christmas scene of a warm fire in the hearth, and a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, along with paper chain decorations adding to the beauty of the environment. Everyone gathered in peace and fellowship in anticipation of the holiday. Education staff mingled with attendees, offering support to students and Elders who needed a hand getting the cap off the icing tube but, once everyone was underway, the joy just kept on escalating. And so did the creativity! Some cookies were decorated with fancy bows, others outlined in scalloped trim, and many featured splotches of sparkly sprinkles glued in place with mountains of icing that would send anyone’s blood sugar soaring! Happy faces hand-drawn on, indeterminate objects, polka dots and blobs, edge-to-edge sugar crystals showcased the talents of this creative crew. Once the cookies were decorated, well, it was up to the creators to decide their outcome – immediately licked clean of the icing (this was done by littles and Elders alike!) and devoured, or placed on a plate and wrapped to take home or share with someone who hadn’t been able to attend the festivities. There was a good balance of both, it seemed!
The morning together was one of ‘borderline chaos’, with small hands decorating not only the cookies but themselves, their neighbours, and the lodge's walls too. But with that aside and taken in stride, the time was meaningful and appreciated. Elders had been looking forward to this for weeks, patiently asking, ‘When are the school kids coming?’ The early learners had the opportunity to travel to the Lodge by bus/van, explore a new environment, change up their daily routine, and interact with each other creatively. It was certainly a time for personal wellness, as creativity helps us focus on what’s in front of us, and reflection helps us witness what is meaningful and precious in life. The gifts of time, togetherness, tasty treats, and talking about our life stories are of the sweetest kind.
