AFG: How does Christmas bring out the best or the worst in any of the villagers?

Christmas brings out the best in the villagers who support Ruth and her new book. Clara’s private delight is Ogilvy’s Christmas window which she found in the reality of Three Pines. With Jane’s money, she can afford to buy Christmas gifts. Peter looks at the old Hadley house though a heart in the frost on the window which begins to fill in with ice foreshadowing Peter when Clara finds out her Christmas gift came from the Williamsburg dump and he silently agrees with CC that “emotions are dangerous and were best hidden away beneath a calm and peaceful veneer.” The village is brought together at Em’s réveillon, the party that spanned Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Christmas brought out the worst in CC who ignored her daughter’s Christmas pageant and then rips her daughter apart for singing beautifully during the service because she is a humiliation to CC.

As Nancy mentions the most striking “brings out the worst” is CC who gets so upset by her daughter at the Christmas concert that she berates Crie in front of everyone. CC’s behaviour at this very moment is what propels the Three Graces to want to act to protect Crie and also leads to her murder. Peter doesn’t appear to mean any harm by getting Clara’s present from the dump but it definitely foreshadows their relationship is on rocky footing and they don’t fully understand each other. Up until that revelation I think they were both enjoying the holidays. I think Christmas brings out the best in the Three Graces. They have a lovely routine during the holidays just for themselves to help support each other (through their sad memories). And Emilie’s reveillon is a party for the whole village to come together to enjoy each other’s company. I also loved the vision of Billy Williams taking the children out on sleigh rides (Ch 6). On a side note I think Saul is quite enchanted by what he sees in Three Pines at Christmas with the villagers when he’s there, so much so that he wants to move there permanently and befriend Clara. So, just the villagers going about their holiday routines is enough to make a strong impression on him. I can’t help but note that same “magic” gradually works on Gamache and us readers too.