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As It Happens

To Every Thing There is a Season: A reading of a Cape Breton Christmas story

To an 11-year-old boy, Christmas means the return of his oldest brother from the other side of the country. It means sleigh rides through the frozen woods. For the younger siblings, it means Santa. "To Every Thing There is a Season" is Alistair MacLeod's nostalgic look back at childhood Christmases on Cape Breton Island.
CBC Radio ·
To Every Thing There is a Season is a story about young boy's memories of Christmas on Cape Breton Island. It's written by Alistair MacLeod.
As It Happens15:40Reading: To Every Thing There is a Season

This is part of As It Happens' annual holiday reading series.

Read Story Transcript

To an 11-year-old boy, Christmas means the return of his oldest brother from the other side of the country. It means sleigh rides through the frozen woods. For the younger siblings, it means Santa.

To Every Thing There is a Season is Alistair MacLeod's nostalgic look back at childhood Christmases on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. 

When the oldest brother returns from working on the Great Lakes, he brings presents for all of his family: "The ones for my younger brothers say 'from Santa Claus' but mine are not among them any more, as I know with certainty they will never be again."

Settle in to listen to a reading of this brilliant, timeless story — which has become a holiday tradition at As It Happens.

To Every Thing There is a Season is published by McClelland & Stewart. The story is read by the late actor Les Carlson.

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