John Chant is known by most people in Glace Bay, N.S.n as the fire chief in the community, but at home he has a different labour of love.
Chant has been collecting model houses, shops, carnival rides, and other similar pieces for years that make up a huge Christmas village that now fills an entire room.
“It started off as a very small four-by-two display and it has turned into about 60 square feet now,” said Chant.
Chant says he’s not a hard person to buy for when it comes to special occasions.
“For Father's Day I’d get a Lemax house, then for my birthday I’d get another one, and it actually gave my wife and daughter pretty easy gifts to buy all year long,” he said.
Each Christmas season is a chance for Chant and his family to share a little holiday magic with friends, family, and even strangers.
But he says it all started because of his mother and her love for Christmas. She passed away three years ago and he continues the tradition in her memory.
It's also a chance for him to separate from the stress of his job.
“You have a lot on your mind. We're a very busy fire station and it’s very time consuming and can cause a lot of mental stress and this is my way to relieve some of that mental stress,” said Chant.
The setup starts long before the holidays and takes weeks to piece together.
The framing and plywood that's underneath is assembled first, and then the scenery and roads are added before wiring the village together.
“We can never downsize that’s for sure. Next year it is getting bigger. Where I’m standing now, next year it will be part of the village, but then I’m told I have to stop.”
It’s a long-standing holiday tradition and one Chant is proud to share with others.
