Santa, elders look for who’s been good … with Christmas lights
Judges dash through Iqaluit snow to pick best lights displays
Iqaluit elders judge some Christmas lights around the community Monday night. The house pictured here, house 1665, won the city’s Christmas lights competition. (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Two weeks before Christmas Day, Santa Claus was back in Iqaluit.
He wasn’t in his sleigh though. And instead of having reindeer with him, Santa accompanied nine elders Monday night as they toured the city by bus to judge the Christmas lights displays Iqalummiut used to decorate their homes.
As part of this year’s Christmas activities, the City of Iqaluit is awarding prizes for the best lights displays.
The top prize is a Canadian North airline ticket, the second-place finisher wins a $500 fuel gift card and $500 Arctic Ventures gift card, and third place receives a $500 Arctic Ventures gift card.
On Monday at 6 p.m., the elders boarded a bus to view the Christmas lights on homes all over the community. They were on the road for about two hours, covering roughly 20 kilometres.
They stopped at around a dozen houses in neighbourhoods across Iqaluit, starting in Lower Iqaluit, moving through Happy Valley and Tundra Ridge, venturing all the way to Apex and then concluding in the Upper Plateau.
While the elders enjoyed the warmth of their bus, Santa and Mrs. Claus would step outside for photos in front of homes. Some lucky children were able to meet Santa, who asked them what they wanted for Christmas.
Annie Demcheson, one of the elders who took part in the tour, said it was a fun experience, even if it did get cold at a few points.
“Some lights [were] very nice,” she said.
“We’re very happy about that.”
The elders reconvened Tuesday to select the winners: First place was awarded to house 1665, second-place goes to 5177-B and third-place finisher was 2432.
Before the tour started, Santa and Mrs. Claus stepped inside the elder's bus to say their hellos and "merry Christmas." (Photo by Jeff Pelletier)
Want to send out thanks to the Elders Society for the bus and driver and allowing us to set this program up using their resources.
City recreation relies on the Society for its programming all year around and at Christmas we get the pleasure of being Santa Claus with the Elders organization.