Montgomery Christmas will be attracting visitors from far and wide to its 15th annual event in Norval on Saturday (Nov. 29).
The day, which honours its most famous citizen— Anne of Green Gables author Lucy Maud Montgomery (LMM)— will get underway early in the morning with Christmas bazaars and lunches and continues with other events through the day and evening.

“We think we have a really big show this year,” said organizer Kathy Gastle. “Montgomery Christmas is a special event for the whole family. Come for one of the events, for part of the day or even the whole day!”
Gastle said the curator of Prince Edward Island’s LMM museum would be flying in for the events as well as many other LMM enthusiasts.

Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Norval United, Norval Presbyterian and St. Paul’s Anglican host their country church bazaars— crafts, bake goods and more. Throughout the day the United Church’s brass band will be playing Christmas music around the village.
From 1-3 p.m., meet Dr. Mary Rubio, author of L.M. Montgomery Gift of Wings, at the LMM Museum in Crawford’s Village Bakeshop. The often-visited museum will also be showing LMM’s own handwritten cookbook and newspaper articles of the time extolling her virtues.

At 3 p.m. LMM experts Jack and Linda Hutton present a re-creation of the 1919 movie version of Anne of Green Gables.
“This is really well done,” said Gastle, “and fun for the kids.”
The cost is just $2 and will be held in the St. Paul’s Parish Hall.

At 7 p.m., enjoy an evening at Norval Presbyterian Church, featuring LMM scholars: Dr. Benjamin Lefebvre, from the University of Alberta; Irene Gammel, author and lecturer from Ryerson University and Dr. Edith Smith, professor emeritus, McMaster University. Their topics include the influence of LMM writing on readers, the LMM film industry and Gammel on her new book, Looking for Anne: How Lucy Maud Montgomery Dreamed Up a Literary Classic. Jack Hutton, a ragtime pianist, will also provide music.
Tickets for the evening event are $10, available at the door or in advance by calling Gastle, 905-877-7059 or kgastle@norvalontario.com.

While Montgomery is best known for her Anne books, she wrote several books while in residence at the Norval Presbyterian Church manse with her husband, the Reverend Ewan Macdonald, from 1926 to 1935. These include the popular Emily’s Quest, Magic for Marigold, A Tangled Web, Pat of Silverbush and Mistress Pat.  Norval and its goings-on, including its annual Christmas church bazaars, was often the focus of her diary writings, now compiled into published best-selling LMM journals.