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| Christmas Traditions... |
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| Christmas 2005 |
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| Christmas, a season of Giving. Christmas Traditions |
| REMARKS BY MRS. CHERRIE AT UNVAILING OF 2005 CHRISTMAS SEASON 20 NOVEMBER 2005 The State Dining Room The Chateau 8.01 PM WST THE FIRST LADY: Thankyou all for being here today. It is really wonderful to see all of you here at the launch of the season. And of course I hope all of you polled yesterday. (Laughter) We are of course anxious to get the results as soon as possible, and my husband is quite edgy over it. He is currently at the campaign center and we should be able to get an answer hopefully today. We just got back from Korea after a 24 hour visit, really, the flight was longer than the time we spent on the ground over there. (Laugther) President Cherrie and I polled yesterday night, back at our home of Y Shere and after which we headed straight back here with Gavin and some of our family members to await the results. And when we arrived, the volunteers were still working on the decor. So we sat down, joked with them as we watched the election results come in, and at the same time helped to hang up the ornaments. We did so till about two this morning when it was all done, more or less. (Laughter) We were really wondering at one point whether this was going to be our last Christmas here. But we have faith in God and we believe that He will give us what He desires for us. And untimately that is what Christmas is about. It is about the birth of Christ Jesus, and Christians around the world celebrate that, he came to earth to save humanity form their sins. And President Cherrie and I are really glad to be able to celebrate this season here with you all. I am also especially pleased that we will be able to open the house one again to everyone, and that tickets will not be required for visitors to enter. I am glad that we are able to take security into concern, but with that in mind, we are able to go on with our lives and the Chateau will be open to walk in visitors. This is a great tradition which I am so pleased to be able to continue. Not just to legolanders but to everyone from all countires who comes to Metro this holiday season. This is my first year choosing the theme of the Christmas Season. Last years' theme of "Family at home" was actually decided by our dear Mrs. Kedinsky prior to here departure formt he Chateau. I decided as an honor tot he Kedinsky family and to regconize their efforts to truly make this home magical, I stuck to that theme last year. This years one was decided pretty late, I think in September. I'm quite slow at these things. (laugther) I have to be prompted by James Carney before I make these desisions. (Laughter) JAMES CARNEY: Yes Mrs. Cherrie, dont worry it is a tradtion to take your time, and in keeping witht he them of traditions this year - (laugther) THE FIRST LADY: Yes, that's right James. This year's theme is Traditions. We have done our research on all the traditons of christmas here at the Chateau, including that of being slow (laugther) We sat down, me and James some time in early September. Then we got a list of School Chidren and otehr organizations who would like to take part in the creation of Ornaments and we have over 7,000 of them decked on disply all around, on the 17 plus Christmas trees here in the Chateau. We are quite on time this year, we usually unvail the decor some time in late ovember, so this is quite alright. I however thought it might be a bit rush with election day the day before and so on but oh well, the desision is not mine (Laughter) must be the media's take (Laughter) We of course here in the State Dining Room have the magnificent tree, and the beautiful gingerbread Chateau made by our pastry Chef, and so many different types of candy. W have the traditional Toprie tree made by Rachel Hardson. Rachel would you like to speak a little about it? RACHEL HARDSON: Thankyou Mrs. Cherrie. Yes it has indeed been a pleasure to be able to spend another Chirstmas here. I have been with the Chateau for many years and i must say putting up this year's decorations has been the most exciting and furfilling yet. This trees are strung together with beads and thread and are made out of roses, and pottisettas. It has many ornaments made by over 50 craftsmen and artistans from around the nation, along with 16 oversized orbs which were made by artistans in on eof the 16 territories. Each of the 50 artisitans and craftsmen made about 5 - 10 ornaments each for the chateau, so we are very glad to be able to feature about 300 beautifual ornaments on the Offical Chateau tree, along with another 200 ornaments from christmases past, and plain coloured silver and shiny red balls. THE FIRST LADY: Great! even I didnt know that. Now, we see this beautiful house, will Regent like to talk about it? REGENT SCOUT: Thankyou Mrs. Cherrie. It is a gingerbread house made entirely out of ginger, chocolate and candy. I started constructing and moulding the pieces since the first week of November. Alot of it had to be mesured and re done due to some technical errors. I am no Architect. (Laughter) You see, I dont put a card board box inside (laugther) So everything is hand made. We had to assembe it tin the kitchen down stairs and because I dont trust carrying it upstairs (Laugther) we actually loaded it up the truck and took it from the North Portico over tot he south portico. There I assembled som of the hand made animals which features Chocolate, Brownie and Ophinia the Presidnetial Pooches, all made from Mazipan. THE FIRST LADY: It is really very beautiful, this gingerbread house, you will be able to see miniatures of our pets, Chocolate, Brownie and Ophilia, all made of candy. And there is the Official Chateau holiday card. artist Rupert Everett, who painted last years one is doing this year's one as well. It has this very beautful picture of a winters day and the tradition of the arrival of the Chateau Christmas Tree. Rupert, would you like to comment? RUPERT EVERETT: Thanks Mrs. Cherrie. It has been an honor to do this card again this year, and it is just enchanting to work with so many artistans to make this house just stunning, during the holiday season. I created this art piece by picturing a winter wonderland, and the Christmas tree arriving. We saw the event take place - last wednesday, but it was not snowing (laughter) you must use your imagination (laughter) I have featured some carollers at the corner, as you can see, as the Chateau is always filled with music during the Christmas season, and the medium is charcol on paper. Mr. Carney? JAMES CARNEY: We actually recieved the tree, I will talk abbit on the decor, we recieved the Tree on Wednesday morning, by then we had some fo the decor up, like the wreaths on the windows were hung on tuesday night and also some on wednesday itself. We started with recieving most of the 18 trees in the house on wednesday afternnon, and we lugged each and everyone in. We ahd the volunteers split themselves up, about 50 of them, and they ech decorated the threes, mantels and doorways with garlands ornaments, wreaths and other festive stuff. We worked from wednesday night through saturday night when we finished. Q: Any breaks? JAMES CARNEY: Yes, it was not 24 hours, we did like nine to eight, about 12 hours a day. And we finished yesterday night just as the Presidnet got back to the Chateau. MRS. CHERRIE: It was indeed stunning to come back to the decorated chateau last night. We will be hosting over 20 Chirstmas Receptions and so that is alomost one every two days, from now till Christmas. That is quite alot. Q: Mrs. Cherrie, how do you feel about the elections? A: Well I am sure we will do well. As of now, we are ahead by 3%. Even though that is not alot, I am confident we will do very well. My only hope is that the results will come out soon, as I'm pretty nervous over it. (Laugther) Q: It would be great if the results were out by the time you unvailed the decor. A: Yes it would, unfortunately that is not the case, but it stll could be. JAMES CARNEY: We won, well - you won. A: We won? JAMES CARNEY: Yes, I got the call. 3 percent. Q: Congradulations (applause) A: This is indeed extremely pleasent, and exciting. (Applause) Looks like we'll be having a few more Christmases here (Laughter) That great. Thankyou (Applasue) And I'll have to go confirm the news now. Looks like you all have a more important story to cover now (Laughter) So thanks again for dropping by, feel free to walk around and admire the decorations. Happy Holidays! END |
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