For years, a man, now living in Manitoba, would spend Christmas Eve lighting ice candles at the Kenora Cemetery with his family, honouring those who had passed away.
In 2009, Nick’s sister, Diana, who had a five-year battle with a brain tumour, passed away. Like previous years, he lit an ice candle, except this time it was for his sister.
The following year, he was unable to return to Kenora, so he decided to honour his sister by making ice candles for his neighbours instead.
“No one knew who made them or why, but the response to them was beautiful,” said Nick in a post on Instagram.
This tradition has continued for 15 years, travelling with him to every place he has lived, including the past five years in East St. Paul.
“Since 2010, I have put out close to 1,000 ice candles on December 24th with the help of friends and family, lighting up the neighbourhoods I’ve lived in,” said Nick. “I hope by placing these ice candles, the homeowners can honour and remember their loved ones who cannot be with them to celebrate the holiday season.”
Ice buckets and candles
Every year on December 1, he pulls out his ice buckets and starts creating the candles. Last year, he finished and placed 210 candles, intending to surpass that this year.
In the end, he managed to make and deliver 300 candles on Christmas Eve.
“Never thought it would be possible to make that many candles, but we did it… even before we had to rush out for a family dinner.”
Neighbours look forward to ice candles
Neighbours who have found an ice candle mysteriously appear at their driveway say it’s a privilege to be included in something so meaningful.
“It brightens up the neighbourhood and has become a special part of our Christmas Eve every year,” said one neighbour.
“What you do for our community is a remarkable tribute to your sister and really brightens up our hearts,” said another neighbour.
This year was an especially tough one, with the added loss of his father, just weeks before Christmas, but he says this tradition keeps him going.
“To all my neighbours and friends, thank you for your kind words and support. It brings me so much joy to hear how much you appreciate the ice candles and the tradition I started in honour of my sister Diana,” said the man. “It’s an honour to live where we do and to be able to share something so special to my family.”
Nick says he has no intention of ever stopping this tradition.
