Time to Relax Before Exams
Photos by 25366 Mike Shewfelt
Every year, in the week leading up to the Christmas exam period, the Cadet Wing gets the opportunity to relax for a night with an early start to the Christmas season. Each Division holds its Divisional Christmas Dinner, and although these occasions are full of ceremony and tradition, the atmosphere is laid back. Superiors serve the subordinates, and the Cadets get to sit back and enjoy a night of food, laughter, and fun.
25601 OCdt (IV) Jeremy Appollini, in A Division, was at their dinner this past Tuesday.
“To celebrate the Christmas season, each of the divisions of the Cadet Wing had their annual Christmas dinner this past week. A Div’s Christmas dinner was the first Christmas dinner at RMC of the season and the first Christmas dinner for many of the First Year Cadets. At the dinner the Cadets enjoyed a relaxing and pleasant traditional turkey meal served by the Training Wing Staff and A Division senior barmen and barwomen in order to mark the end of the first semester, the beginning of the holiday season, and to commemorate the cadets on the continued effort they have put in over the last few months. The delicious food and festive atmosphere made for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
As is tradition, the youngest Cadet in the division was allowed to make a wish for the rest of the division. This year the wish granted at the A div dinner was permission for the Wing to wear their Combats while writing their exams. This wish, paired with the wishes from the other division dinners will make the exam period significantly less stressful for the Cadet Wing. Overall the Christmas dinner was an agreeable and pleasant way to mark the end of the semester and the beginning of the holiday season.”
B Division’s dinner was held on Wednesday night:
“The traditional RMC Christmas dinner was held for B Division last Wednesday in the Cadet Mess. Marking the end of the Fall semester, cadets enjoyed a full-course holiday feast served by military & civilian staffs, and senior cadets. This festive event was a success and a welcomed break from the academic load of approaching exams. The approved Christmas wish was for civilian dress during working hours on the peninsula.” 25702 OCdt (IV) Megan St-Aubin
26565 OCdt (I) Kyle English was at the C Division Dinner on Thursday night.
“For many Officer Cadets, Officers and staff at The Royal Military College, the C Division Mess Dinner was a culmination to an exciting semester. With the end in sight and just two weeks before cadets would leave for the holidays, all focus could now be set on making it unscathed through an intensive exam period. What better way to mark a preemptive start to the holidays than a belly full of turkey on a Thursday night?
As is customary at Division dinners, the youngest Cadet in C division traded tunics with the Director of Cadets. 26559 OCdt (I) Alexander Landry’s tunic exchange with the Director of Cadets signified the beginning of the final mess dinner of the year for the Cadets of C Div. Another tradition that takes place during the mess dinner is a short speech by the youngest cadet. This Cadet may request one holiday wish from the DCdts, typically one related to the exam period. C Division’s wish was for parking to be allowed on the parade square. After a quip from the DCdts and a round of laughter from all present, the wish was granted, much to the delight of all Officer Cadets.
After all courses had been served by an array of volunteers from the cadet, academic and mil wing, Cadets enjoyed a delicious and festive dinner which truly was a great note to end the semester on.”
Photos from the Dinners (click to enlarge):
