The Dal Family Christmas Adventures 2020

The “Dal House” before the Dal’s moved in.

Nonna busily helping the family set up. She dearly misses the help of her daughters and grandaughters!

Kristi and Ellie helping out as in years past.

The Dal Family all await the finishing touches of the “Movers”.

That’s Jeffrey, the Dad holding baby Janie. Margaret is the Mom, in the middle, and Lizzie the older daughter is on the right. Cousins Jack and Jill are in hot water (top right)!

Margaret busy at her pre-Christmas sewing.

Jeffrey skips out on the chores and goes snowboarding!

Margaret—-not feeling well…decides to take a day off in bed.

Feeling a tad guilty, Jeffrey makes the family a batch of Toll House Cookies.

Margaret and Jeffrey savouring their coffee in bed each morning.

A Friendly Giant, roaming the neighbourhood scares the family—needlessly!

Jeffrey finally gets motivated and climbs on the roof (without telling Margaret) to put up the Christmas lights.

Margaret finds him on the roof and pleads for him to get down.

He slips to the eave—-can’t hang on.

Fortunately, no one was hurt when Jeffrey fell!

Margaret insists that Jeffrey take a day off to rest after his near-miss on the roof.

After his rest, the Family prepares for a long-anticipated climb up nearby “Misty Mountain” to a mythical Hut that they have heard so much about—- but never seen. They begin their climb and are presented with a large obstacle right away.

Proceeding further they come across a “Hotei” Buddha and sit there for a break, making sure they rub his tummy for good luck!

Finally, they climb up the Hut but to their dismay find the door lock located 30 metres (100 feet) straight up. Fortunately, Jeffrey is an experienced cedar hut climber and he brought his ropes. He asks Margaret to belay him up.

Finally getting the door opened, the Family are surprised to find inside a number of friendly hut-dwellers, including a Troll! They are invited in to share a lovely tea and snack with them.

Back home the next day, the Family begins to prepare for their pre-Christmas Ski Trip to Sun Peaks. Jeffrey is tuning the skis and snowboards.

Meanwhile, Janie (the little one) is being mischievous and pulled all the books off the bookshelf looking for Dr. Seuss!

Dad has to take time off his trip preparations to re-stack all the books!

Finally, the family arrives at Sun Peaks and awaits their host to take them to their luxurious condo at the Cahilty Lodge.

The next day they decide to skip the ski lessons and go for a sleigh ride through the forest.

The following day they did take their morning lessons and in the afternoon all skied together. They were attentive learners and  everyone learned how to ski or snowboard (shred) like pros!

Well, Jeffrey kinda gets carried away and is about to have a close personal encounter with a hopefully short tree!

They bump into their instructor the next day who takes them down a black diamond run and gets them going fast!

Jeffrey loves taking risks and tells Margaret he is going to try to “get some air” and try jumping.

On their last day, they all ski together but forget to avoid Mt. Morrisey where they were told that a Troll lives who on occasion jumps out from behind trees–naked mind you–to scare skiers and boarders. He scared them and they ended up in a gong show pile up!

The next day after the traumatic Troll incident they decide to simply go sledding.

Sadly all good things come to an end and the Dals have to return home. The only train available was an open carriage Circus Train. The animals and their warmth plus all their ski clothes helped keep them from freezing on their way home.

After the very cold train ride, Lizzie couldn’t wait to jump in the hot tub with her cousins Jack and Jill and their pet Penguin.

The Dal family decorates their Christmas Tree.

Margaret continues her Christmas baking.

Later she joins the family for a raucous game of Monopoly.

Margaret and Jeffrey quietly bring in the gifts while the girls are upstairs playing.

The Family decides to bed down in the living room on Christmas Eve so they can fall asleep watching the twinkling lights of the tree. The kids promise not to peek when Santa shows up. They leave out some cookies and milk of course! Soon, the room was quiet and “not a creature was stirring, not even their mouse”.

Meanwhile up on the roof there was some “Clatter” as Santa pulled up with a sleigh-full of presents.

Christmas morning and Christmas surprises. A bicycle for Lizzie, a train set for Janie, a new sewing kit for Marg, a new book for Jeff, and best of all, reminiscent of Skipper’s Xmas entrance, a new doggie for the whole family! The Dal family loves pets!!

And so ends the Dal Family’s Christmas Adventures for 2020. Stay tuned for next years’ adventures. Who knows what they will get up to in the new year!

Producer, Director, Art, Greens and stage crew:

Russ Fuoco and Star Fuoco

(Photos opposite)