Newcomer Jerry Ondos with his wife Jenny and family on a prior Christmas Eve. (submitted photo/Jerry Ondos)

By Angela Brown

White Christmas

Battlefords newcomer remembers first Christmas in Canada

Dec 18, 2023 | 11:53 AM

A newcomer from the Philippines, who works at the Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre (BIRC), recalls a dazzling first Christmas in Canada and the Battlefords when he saw snow for the first time.

“Spending my first Christmas in Canada was kind of an exciting experience, especially since I never had a chance to experience a white Christmas before,” Jerry Ondos told battlefordsNOW. “I was looking forward to that when I arrived here, just to touch the snow, see how it looks, and how it feels. Also, the lights, the decorations, it can be truly magical for us compared to back to the Philippines.”

Ondos arrived in Canada in 2014 alone, without his family. It wasn’t until he obtained his permanent resident status in 2016 that he was able to bring his wife and three kids to Canada to join him.

“It was a little bit sad,” he recalled of his first arrival. “I was homesick celebrating my first Christmas here because I was far away from my family.”

“We all know that Christmas is a time of togetherness, love and happiness,” Ondos added. “But still my first Canadian Christmas was a new experience for me, creating new traditions, connecting with new friends and trying to find ways to stay connected with my loved ones back home.”

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Now his family is together in Canada, and growing. Today he and his wife Jenny have five children.

Ondos points out Christmas in the Philippines is a little bit different from a Canadian one. Filipino families start celebrating Christmas as early as September, and the activities go on until January. Decorations are available in stores in September.

“The Philippines has one of the longest Christmas celebrations,” he added.

Ondos also noted the Filipino people will open their gifts at midnight on Christmas Eve, while more often in Canada people here will instead open their presents the next morning on Christmas Day. The Christmas meal is also different. While Canadians tend to have a turkey dinner to celebrate, in the Philippines families will instead have roast pork.

Now that he has been living in Canada for the past 10 years, Ondos said he has found the Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre helpful in assisting families adapt to life in their new home.

“The Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre helped me a lot – from settlement, helping with my documents, and preparing all my documents I need for my permanent resident application,” he said.

Ondos added the BIRC also helped him adapt to his new place, by providing many events and activities “to encourage newcomers to meet new friends, new Canadians or other immigrants here in Canada.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsnow