A nine-foot Christmas tree sits outside Marlene Thomas’ home on Lennox Island, hung with glittering baubles, candy canes made of bells and other ornaments.
It may look like an ordinary holiday decoration, but it’s so much more. Thomas invited the community to help him decorate the tree in honor of his friend Charlotte Morris, who died a year ago.
“Everyone loved Charlotte and she was always involved in everything,” Thomas said.
“I wanted to share [the tree] because it meant so much to everyone…it was fitting to give it to my community,” said Thomas island morning host Mitch Cormier.
The artificial Christmas tree belonged to Morris, and a few months ago her husband called to say Morris wanted Thomas to have the tree, she said.
“It took me by surprise, but I was so happy. I was so happy to have it,” she said.
Both Morris and Thomas attended the Shubenacadie residential school in Nova Scotia as children and became strong advocates for residential school survivors.
“I could be here all day telling you the story of Charlotte and I. We’re both survivors,” Thomas said.
Morris spoke of her experiences at residential school and the loss of her Mi’kmaw culture that she experienced there. This is something that Thomas is also passionate about.
She’s probably smiling at the whole community, because it’s not just me, it’s everyone. — Marlene Thomas
“It’s important for us to educate,” she said.
Thomas visits college classes to talk about his experience at boarding school.
She was also part of the Canadian delegation to Rome last spring to witness Pope Francis’ apology to the Indigenous peoples of Canada for the conduct of some members of the Roman Catholic Church in Canada’s residential school system.
‘Hey, Charlotte, your tree is up’
When Morris died on Dec. 17, 2021, COVID-19 restrictions prevented Thomas from attending the wake or funeral.
“It hurt me a lot. And so it’s my way of saying, ‘Hey, Charlotte, your tree is up,'” Morris said.
Christmas was a special holiday for Morris, Thomas said.
“She loved Christmas. And so when she found that tree, that was what she had to have,” she said.
“[This tree] was everything to her, I think, as far as Christmas was concerned.”
Many community members came all the way here to hang a decoration on the tree and visit Thomas over a cup of hot chocolate or tea, she said.
“I think [Charlotte] smiles at me…because I’m finally giving her the tribute she deserves,” Thomas said.
“She’s probably smiling at the whole community, because it’s not just me, it’s everyone.”
Thomas intends to keep the tree past the holiday season, continuing to honor her friend through days such as Valentine’s Day, Easter and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.
Thomas keeps his own decoration to hang on the tree last.
It’s a wooden circle painted orange, inscribed with the words “Every Child Matters” – the message used to honor residential school survivors and children who died in those schools.
It’s a way for Thomas to pay tribute to Morris and his advocacy work on behalf of survivors.
“[The tree] helps me a lot and it helps me heal,” said Thomas.
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