For many people around the world, Christmas is a truly special and magical time, one they look forward to every year. As I get into my late 40s, I look back at the Christmases that I enjoyed as a child. The 1980s seem so distant in this extremely fast-paced, technology-driven age. It was truly a time when life was, in many ways, relatively simple. Nowhere was this more evident than in the toys that children received for Christmas and played with throughout the year. While video game systems such as the Atari and Nintendo were big hits in that era, many children still played with old fashioned toys. As a boy, I couldn't get enough of Star Wars, Masters of the Universe, Ghostbusters, along with a host of other popular television and movie franchises that corporations were making small fortunes (or perhaps very large ones) marketing through action figures and playsets. Some of my earliest memories of Christmas Eve involve my parents, sisters, and I going to visit my grandparents, who lived about 15 kilometers away in Morell, a small fishing and farming community on the North Shore of Prince Edward Island. My grandmother made the best fudge, peanut butter balls, and other delectable sweets. At least three special Christmas trays of these treats would be on the table for everyone to enjoy. A longstanding tradition in my family involved the kids being allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve. My sisters and I would have an hour or so to enjoy our new presents before everybody went to church. I can recall going to Saint Lawrence Catholic parish outside of Morell for midnight mass, which would last well over an hour, but something I enjoyed very much. After returning home from church, if we weren't too tired, sometimes the entire family would sit down on the living room couch and watch an old movie such as A Christmas Carol. Then, it was off to bed to get a few hours of sleep before getting up very early full of eager anticipation to see what Santa Claus had put under the tree. Christmas Day always meant a huge turkey dinner with family members and relatives that normally took place later in the afternoon. It also wasn't uncommon for friends to stop by. As another Christmas approaches, I look back at the Christmases of my childhood, and there are times when I wish I could get out of this modern age, even for a couple of days. I long for Christmases just like the ones I used to know.

A U7 hockey jamboree at the Clancy Richard Arena on Dec. 13 helped teach young players the fundamentals of the sport.

AHS has released information about potential exposure to measles at the St. Paul hospital.

In 2025-26, Alberta’s government is providing $380.5 million as part of a $586-million investment into law enforcement services across the province.

Justice Minister Mickey Amery's office says the petitions are costly, and the higher fee is meant to discourage "frivolous applications and protect Alberta taxpayers."

Santa Claus was spotted at the CAP Arena on Dec. 13, skating with parents and kids.

According to an official with Alberta Forestry and Parks, there was a 3.7 per cent increase in the number of people camping in provincial parks in the Lakeland region in 2025.

Dr. Vivien Suttorp, who has been the lead medical health officer for the province's South Zone, is to begin her new job Friday.

A gas outage east of Bonnyville left about 50 people without heat for their homes on Dec. 15 after one of the suppliers for the North-East Gas Co-op ran out of gas.

More than a year after hearing arguments in October 2024, the Appeal Court's three-judge panel declared the oath requirement unconstitutional.

Amii launches program offering 750 online scholarships in environmental sciences and meteorology, aiming to equip learners with artificial intelligence skills to better predict and respond to severe weather.

COOL WINTER GUIDE: Some of the best donuts in Alberta are hidden away in Glenwood. If you haven’t discovered them for yourself just yet, look no further than Tina’s Café & Bakery.

The St. Paul Figure Skating Club hosted an afternoon Christmas inspired showcase on Dec. 14.

Elected representatives from across the province gathered at Alberta's legislative proceedings this December for some seasonally adjusted commentary.

Volunteers helped serve a holiday meal hosted by the Bonnyville Friendship Centre on Dec. 12.

Justice says province needs to figure out rural school zone or he will “stop accepting guilty pleas” and start throwing tickets out

Municipal increases and a provincial education tax hike will push bills up across the province.

An impressive 2,530 lbs of non-perishable food and toiletry items, along with more than $1,200 worth of grocery gift cards, were collected in Bonnyville for the Pack the PC event.

Alberta's government said the province is under no legal obligation to continue publishing the data in a “post-pandemic context.”

According to an official with the provincial Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services deer are common throughout Alberta communities, including the Lakeland region.

Emergency responders are assisting stranded motorists due to multiple collisions in the Didsbury and Airdrie areas.

This is the first time Alberta's Recall Act has been used on provincial politicians.

No obstetrical services are available in Cold Lake until January and Lac La Biche is unable to provide C-section coverage for most of November and December. As a result, the patient load in Bonnyville has doubled since October.

A recall petition has been issued for MLA Jackie Armstrong-Homeniuk, who represents the constituency of Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville. The constituency also includes Two Hills, Myrnam, and Derwent.

The petitioner in Amery's riding of Calgary-Cross says he needs to go because he has been unresponsive to constituent concerns and supports harmful policies.