Ont. family’s Christmas village heals with meaningful memories

A Sudbury family's expansive Christmas village, curated from meaningful family memories, has been transformed into a tribute to the couple's late daughter.

The Brunette family assembles a very large Christmas village in Sudbury every year.

It’s made up of buildings, figurines, lights and is built on some sentimental memories.

“Finding houses that sort of meant something to our family,” said Mike Brunette, the village’s creator.

“We have a Chinese restaurant where my mom was working as a waitress for years. My daughter in mom-in-law, myself and mom-in-law are teachers, so I have a couple of schools.”

The family told CTV News that the village gets bigger every year as they collect pieces they love.

“We have been married for 52 years,” said Suzanne, Mike’s wife and a helper with the village.

“Mike started collecting pieces maybe about 15 years ago and every year we tend to see little pieces curate things that fit into it and things that are meaningful to us.”

This year the family are calling it Mimi’s Christmas village in memory of their daughter they lost to cancer in August of 2024.

“Before she passed away, she made me promise to continue doing the village and I told her I didn’t know but she made me promise,” said Mike.

“So, last year I did the village, and it made me feel good, and I know that she’s happy.”

“I want to say healing in a certain sense to see, this village has always been a labour of love the past number of years,” Suzanne added.” said Suzanne Brunette.

The Brunettes said it takes about three weeks to assemble the village.

“They all tell me that I have a lot of patience, but I tell them I guess it’s a labour of love where you know I guess I just enjoy doing it,” said Mike.

The Brunette’s said family and friends enjoy the village every year and they assemble it to bring joy over the Christmas season and to honour a lost loved one.