In Montreal, journalist Louis-Philippe Messier travels mostly on the run, his desk in his backpack, on the lookout for fascinating subjects and people. He speaks to everyone and is interested in all walks of life in this urban chronicle.
Christmas has already arrived in Montreal: a business in the Plateau hired a famous film decorator to “Christmasize” itself less than a week after Halloween, and it’s crazy.
Isn’t it a little early to be going all-in on Christmas when you’ve only just exorcised the ghosts of Halloween?
Apparently not!
Ever since a legion of 18 Santas stood guard in front of the Petit Dep storefront on Saint-Laurent, near the corner of Laurier, there have been crowds.
It was very busy during the three hours I was at the counter writing this column.
Photo LOUIS-PHILIPPE MESSIER
“I don’t know if it’ll be like this every day!” exclaims the breathless barista, Laurie.
Behind the bar, the one who seems to have good cardio prepares a 100e “chocomauve” (a marshmallow and raspberry hot chocolate) of the day.
A small family enters, delighted by the decoration, and leaves because there is no more room.
About ten people are waiting standing.
“It hasn’t calmed down since 9 a.m. this morning and it was like that all afternoon yesterday too,” Laurie sighs.
Laurie dips the neck of the eggnog cup into the chocolate, then the coconut.
Photo LOUIS-PHILIPPE MESSIER
8000 items
Garlands circulate everywhere on the walls and ceilings around ten fir trees.
Wreaths of Christmas baubles embellish the lamps on the walls.
Nutcrackers dominate the bar.
There are some 8000 decorative elements!
Surprising detail: some of these decorations come from the set of the next film Karate Kidwith Jackie Chan, filmed in Montreal this summer.
Businesswoman Magda Slezak, founding owner of the Petit Dep chain, entrusted this extreme “Christmas” operation to film set designer and photographer Léa Valérie Létourneau.
Mme Slezak plans to rent this Christmas Tavern for “office parties” in the evening.
“I visited antique shops and the Saint-Michel market on the lookout for retrokitsch decorations,” the artist tells me, whose ultra-detailed photographs were exhibited at the PHI Center last month.
“I wanted to create a warm atmosphere and make people smile.”
Film set designer Léa Valérie Létourneau has decorated the place lavishly.
Photo LOUIS-PHILIPPE MESSIER
The large golden tree is decorated with old brittle baubles.
“I hate Christmas decorations too early, but it’s beautiful here!” exclaims Julie-Fée Bélanger, who is having a glass of wine with her mother, Irène.
Julie-Fée and her mother Irène were enjoying the cheerful decor while having a glass of wine.
Photo LOUIS-PHILIPPE MESSIER
“How can you pass such a storefront without entering it? Christmas is my kryptonite!” says Amanda Zais, a traveler from British Columbia seated next to me.
Mme Létourneau says she wanted to avoid an overload of decorations, but let’s say she didn’t skimp.
“There are 72 Santas inside the bar, I counted them out of curiosity,” Jérôme, the bartender, tells me.
The young man wets the neck of a martini glass in crème de menthe and plunges it into a bath of candy cane dust to prepare the Christmas drink called Le Grincheux (gin, martini, crème de menthe).
Jérôme, the bartender, dipped the neck of this martini glass in Christmas candy dust for the drink called Le Grincheux.
Photo LOUIS-PHILIPPE MESSIER
For my part, I arrived grumpy, but I was quickly softened by the beautiful atmosphere. Hard to resist.
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