WC Christmas season kicks off Sunday with Dunrobin tree lighting

DUNROBIN – What has become the unofficial start to the West Carleton Christmas season, the Dunrobin and District Women’s Institute (WI) will host its annual Christmas Tree Lighting this Sunday (Nov. 28) at 6:30 p.m.

It’s one of West Carleton’s newest traditions launching in 2017. The WI and fellow community members gather around a tree planted in Dunrobin’s unofficial park at the for corners of the village and light it up, followed by some carols, hot chocolate, and treats, back at St. Paul’s Anglican Church.

In 2018, the tree lighting was a major event for the community  just starting to recover from a tornado that devastated the community in September.

“The post-tornado tree-lighting in 2018 was very popular because Dunrobin needed a party,” WI member and event organizer Beth McEwen told West Carleton Online this morning (Nov. 26). “We filled the church for hot chocolate and cookies.”

The event has stayed popular in the community ever since.

“The 2019 one was almost as popular but 2020 was a very small gathering (due to the COVID-19 pandemic),” McEwen said.

And McEwen hopes this Sunday will be a bounce back as the community emerges from stifling COVID-19 regulations.

“We hope people will gather around the tree-lighting at 6:30 p.m., and have hot chocolate and cookies right at the corner,” McEwen said. “Cookies will be handed out with tongs and cups handled with gloves, and we will try a few carols. We hope to see people out again after this long COVID break.”