This December, we are featuring not one, but two fantastic alumni volunteers who have participated multiple times in University of Alberta International’s Share the Cheer program. While this unique program took a brief hiatus due to the pandemic, it is back with more need than ever for social connection and community. 

Aimee Reimer’s (BA ‘05) love of entertaining and enjoying good food is what first drew her to the Share the Cheer program back in 2018. The program became a great opportunity to team up with another family, inviting them over to prepare a meal and host a party for the students. Both families were able to then share both the workload and benefits of hosting the evening. Since then, they’ve had a mix of guests from all over the world and it has become an event that everyone looks forward to.

The first year they hosted, they were joined by 4 U of A students. Aimee and her family loved being able to hear about their experiences at the U of A while exchanging holiday traditions. One of her favorite memories from Share the Cheer is being able to share her family’s backyard rink with a group of international students who had never tried skating before. They were able to provide equipment and a safe space to learn, offering a new Canadian experience these students may not have tried otherwise. Aimee remembers the evening quite fondly as one with lots of fun and laughter. She knows that the holidays can be a lonely time, and it’s nice to be able to create a sense of connection for people who may be feeling isolated.   

When asked what advice she would offer to prospective Share the Cheer volunteers, Aimee enthusiastically said “Go for it!”, noting that the program participants are people looking to connect and are so grateful for the invitation. “They are already on your side,” she says, something that can take the pressure off the volunteer host who may feel they need to provide a “perfect experience”.  Share the Cheer is a wonderful way to connect and give and receive some much-needed warmth and community over the holidays. 

Cheryl Walker (BA ’05 & current MA student) began participating in Share the Cheer in 2017 after some big life events had upturned her regular holiday traditions. Instead of shutting down, she decided to turn it into an opportunity to open up and help others. As someone who loves cooking with a self-described “three-Christmas-trees household”, Share the Cheer felt like the perfect avenue. 

Like Aimee, Cheryl also loves cooking and was excited to explore new recipes and methods to accommodate the dietary requirements of her guests. She reached out to a colleague’s wife who was able to help give her tips on how to accommodate halal guests; an experience that also brought her closer to that friend. Hosts are asked in the application process which, (if any) dietary restrictions they can accommodate, so she has been able to grow her experience with different types of cooking. 

Cheryl originally hosted her Share the Cheer dinners on Christmas Day. While hosts have a 2-week period to hold their event, she was happy to have been able to open her home on the 25th: “In North America, we kind of just shut down for Christmas which can be really tough on people, whether you celebrate the holidays or not”.  Cheryl loves being able to share her holiday traditions with her guests and learn about theirs in return. She’s hosted students from Korea, Iran, Azerbaijan, Japan, and China and has learned how to say “Merry Christmas” in quite a few different languages. One of her favorite things to do is to make Christmas stockings for her guests that she fills with items to help them with life in Canada such as Hudson's Bay mittens and hand lotion to combat the dry climate. 

Cheryl’s advice to new Share the Cheer volunteers is to “Start small. The Christmas dinner I served is what I would have served my own family. Don’t worry about making it a big spectacle that isn’t you - include them in what you do already. This is what people really want, is to feel included, to feel part of something. There is no wrong way to do it”.

Share the Cheer is an opportunity for U of A community members to host international students who are far away from home for an evening over the holiday season. Learn about different cultures and perspectives, and share your traditions, your cultural background - whatever they may be - and create a personal connection with those whose family and friends are far away. If you are interested you can apply to be a host by Dec 7.