(YELLOWKNIFE) Thursday, December 17, 2020 – Over the last month, kindergarten students from 23 schools across the Northwest Territories have been sending handmade decorations to the Legislative Assembly, where they now adorn a 20-foot Christmas tree.

The project came to life as an adaptation to public health restrictions. Since 1993, kindergarten students have been invited to the Legislature every Christmas season from Yellowknife, Ndilǫ and Dettah to make ornaments and decorate Christmas Trees in the Great Hall. This usually culminated with an event for the public to come see the trees. However, due to restrictions regarding COVID-19, that was not an option this year.

Instead, an invitation was sent to all schools to ask them to craft ornaments and mail them to the Legislative Assembly. There was an overwhelming response with hundreds of students agreeing to participate. Staff decorated the 20-foot Christmas tree with ornaments that came from all regions of the Territory.

To show appreciation, the Legislative Assembly sent engraved “thank you” ornaments back to every child who participated to keep as a memory of this project.

Today, the Speaker released a video to kindergarten classes to personally thank them for helping the Legislature ensure the Kindergarten Christmas Tree Tradition lives on.