In Newfoundland and Labrador Christmas is a special time of year. It is a time to gather around a festive table with family, to visit and enjoy the company of old friends who haven’t been seen in a long time , to enjoy the aura of peace and goodwill which emanates from brightly coloured lights and decorations which are everywhere to be seen, to laugh and sing as if yesterday never happened.
Above all, it is a time to exchange gifts which are symbolic of the love they represent and the deep emotions they evoke. For many, such tokens are practical and concrete, tangible proof of the feelings held in the heart, of the passion that still remains. For the main characters in these richly woven stories, the gifts they give are neither mundane nor hastily chosen, but are the product of soul searching and profound inner change.
For old Levi Cohen, the gift becomes the perfect act of gratitude to someone who did him a kind deed many years ago. For Rachel Kearning, confronted with a loved one’s shocking revelation, the gift is her deep and enduring love. And for Jimmy Blanchard, upon returning to his hometown, the gift he seeks is redemption, for the criminal life of his youth and the hurt and suffering he has inflicted on others.
