105:
220:
was replaced with whisky (which travelled better). This was then mixed with goat's milk and flavoured with nutmeg and cinnamon to produce an
Anglicized version called "moose milk". Today's versions of moose milk, in addition to whisky (or rum) and spices may use a combination of eggnog and ice cream,
133:
Today the levée has evolved from the earlier, more boisterous party into a more sedate and informal one. It is an occasion to call upon representatives of the monarch, military and municipal governments and to exchange New Year's greetings and best wishes for the new year, to renew old acquaintances
65:
In the 18th century the levée in Great
Britain and Ireland became a formal court reception given by the sovereign or his/her representative in the forenoon or early afternoon. In the New World colonies the levee was held by the governor acting on behalf of the monarch. Only men were received at these
69:
It was in Canada that the levée became associated with New Year's Day. The fur traders had the tradition of paying their respects to the master of the fort (their government representative) on New Year's Day. This custom was adopted by the governor general and lieutenant governors for their levées.
198:
In colonial times, when the formalities of the levée had been completed, guests were treated to wine and cheeses from the homeland. Wines did not travel well during the long ocean voyage to Canada. To make the cloudy and somewhat sour wine more palatable it was heated with alcohol and spices. The
246:
the
Festivities of the New Year commenced at four o'clock this morning when the people honored me with a salute of firearms, and in half an hour afterward the whole Inmates of our Garrison assembled in the hall dressed out in their best clothes, and were regaled in a suitable manner with a few
619:
The levée has a long tradition in the
Canadian Armed Forces as one of the activities associated with New Year's Day. Military commanders garrisoned throughout Canada held local levées since, as commissioned officers, they were expected to act on behalf of the Crown on such occasions.
126:
Today, levées are the receptions (usually, but not necessarily, on New Year's Day) held by the governor-general, the lieutenant governors of the provinces, the military and others, to mark the start of another year and to provide an opportunity for the public to pay their respects.
81:
from 1636 to 1648. In addition to wishing a happy new year to the citizens the governor informed guests of significant events in France as well as the state of affairs within the colony. In turn, the settlers were expected to renew their pledges of allegiance to the Crown.
180:, veterans, "our fallen comrades", as well as "our American friends and neighbours" (this final toast would not have been made two centuries ago when the town was founded). Greetings are brought from all levels of government and it is a great community event.
153:, levée day is not only a formal event. It is something that attracts a large number of Islanders, which is quite unusual in comparison to the other provinces where it has gradually become more subdued. Prince Edward Island levées begin at 8 a.m.
741:[The Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Quebec will receive gentlemen who wish to pay him a visit Saturday, January 1, from noon until 1 p.m., in the Legislative Council chamber of the Parliament building.].
739:"Le Lieutenant Gouverneur de la province de Québec recevra les messieurs qui desirent lui faire visite samedi le 1 janvier 1916, de midi a 1 h. p.m., dans la chambre du Conseil Legislatif HÎtel du gouvernment"
247:
flagon's Rum and some Cakes. A full allowance of
Buffaloe meat was served out to them and a pint of spirits for each man; the Women were also entertained to the utmost of our ability.'"
956:
85:
The levée tradition was continued by
British colonial governors in Canada and subsequently by both the governor general and lieutenant governors. It continues to the present day.
630:
Today, members of the various
Canadian Forces units and headquarters across Canada receive and greet visiting military and civilian guests on the first day of the new year.
137:
The province of Prince Edward Island maintains a more historical approach to celebrating levee day. On New Year's Day, all
Legions and bars are opened and offer
862:
62:(1643â1715). It was his custom to receive his male subjects in his bedchamber just after arising, a practice that subsequently spread throughout Europe.
134:
and to meet new friends. It is also an opportunity to reflect upon the events of the past year and to welcome the opportunities of the New Year.
130:
Most levées may be attended by any citizen, including children. Attending the lieutenant governor's levée is an annual ritual for some families.
876:
302:
123:
Over the years, New Year's levées have become almost solely a
Canadian observance, although kinds of levées still exist in other countries.
738:
224:
Refreshments were clearly an important element in the New Year's festivities. A report of the New Year's levée held in
Brandon House in
824:
939:
764:
234:) make the House and Yard ring with saluting (the firing of rifles). The House then filled with them when they all got a dram each
146:
195:
As has the levée itself, refreshments served at levées have undergone changes (both in importance and variety) over the years.
150:
971:
322:
836:
221:
as well as other alcoholic supplements. The exact recipes used by specific groups may be jealously guarded secrets.
552:
438:
433:
976:
654:
237:
576:
363:
145:
and rum) from the early morning until the late night. Though there are still the formal receptions held at
986:
981:
428:
29:
343:
74:
582:
388:
327:
25:
913:
880:
517:
443:
799:
602:
512:
255:, there was "an almighty row" when the colonial governor's levée was not to the attendees' liking.
542:
537:
532:
251:
When residents called upon the governor to pay their respects they expected a party. In 1856 on
646:
547:
527:
522:
468:
418:
398:
373:
945:
666:
682:
662:
634:
607:
403:
358:
177:
138:
73:
The first recorded levée in Canada was held on January 1, 1646, in the Chùteau St. Louis by
950:
557:
502:
453:
413:
338:
317:
277:
169:
8:
686:
474:
463:
297:
292:
157:
597:
492:
383:
307:
287:
231:
184:
658:
587:
497:
448:
378:
368:
348:
332:
282:
21:
592:
572:
567:
507:
423:
312:
270:
252:
116:
104:
54:
698:
624:
479:
458:
408:
393:
353:
265:
202:
172:) The levée is well attended by townspeople and visitors. Toasts are made to the
93:
697:
In literary fiction, levées form an important background to plot development in
721:
173:
965:
811:
702:
650:
161:
89:
78:
165:
59:
88:
As mentioned, the levée was historically a male preserve but during
225:
108:
32:, military establishments, municipalities, and other institutions.
670:
562:
484:
208:
112:
901:
642:
142:
776:
788:
183:
Some religious leaders, such as the Bishop of the Anglican
633:
In military messes, refreshments take a variety of forms:
335:- Not a municipal event: hosted by the lieutenant governor
96:. Since then levees have been open to both women and men.
657:
of Vancouver; Little Black Devil cocktails (dark rum and
638:
66:
events. Women were presented in the evening at court.
164:) holds a levée complete with firing of a cannon at
115:Civic Employees War Veterans Honour Guard at the
963:
575:- Used to be hosted by the Federal Government's
800:Canada's Navy: MARPAC â Maritime Forces Pacific
728:. Random House, Inc. Accessed January 10, 2013.
92:levées were attended by female officers of the
946:Google Search for "Canada New Year's Day Levée
303:Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia
916:(Press release). Kongehuset. 5 September 2023
837:"County levees planned to ring in a new year"
258:
230:... in the morning the Canadians (men of the
215:
200:
214:Under British colonial rule, the wine in
103:
692:
964:
863:"SaltWire | Prince Edward Island"
623:On Vancouver Island (the base for the
681:A similar event is held each year at
671:sabres to uncork bottles of champagne
469:Town of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia Canada
44:(from French, noun use of infinitive
914:"New Year's banquet and levees 2024"
645:); the special flaming punch of the
877:"Come Celebrate 2023 with Vaughan!"
323:Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
13:
676:
614:
244:reports that on January 1, 1821, "
187:, hold a levée on New Year's Day.
14:
998:
932:
879:. City of Vaughan. Archived from
789:2017 Charlottetown Levee Schedule
763:Legislative Assembly of Alberta:
579:, now municipal event since 2023.
553:Summerside, Prince Edward Island
439:North Dumfries Township, Ontario
52:, "to raise") originated in the
906:
895:
869:
855:
434:North Saanich, British Columbia
199:concoction came to be known as
190:
829:
818:
804:
793:
782:
769:
757:
731:
715:
627:), levées began in the 1840s.
168:(a historic building close to
99:
1:
902:Town of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
429:Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
176:, "our beloved Canada", the
119:'s New Year's levee in 2011.
58:(rising of the sun) of King
7:
972:State ritual and ceremonies
344:Esquimalt, British Columbia
75:Charles Huault de Montmagny
10:
1003:
957:Levee in Hamilton, Ontario
625:Royal Navy's Pacific Fleet
583:Victoria, British Columbia
389:Langford, British Columbia
328:Grand Manan, New Brunswick
259:Municipalities with levées
35:
26:Governor General of Canada
726:Dictionary.com Unabridged
518:Saanich, British Columbia
444:Oak Bay, British Columbia
708:
603:Woodstock, New Brunswick
513:Riverview, New Brunswick
228:in 1797 indicated that "
543:Stellarton, Nova Scotia
538:St. Catharines, Ontario
533:Sooke, British Columbia
266:Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
48:, "rising", from Latin
647:Royal Canadian Hussars
641:often substituted for
548:Stewiacke, Nova Scotia
528:Sioux Lookout, Ontario
523:Shelburne, Nova Scotia
489:Port Colborne, Ontario
419:Moncton, New Brunswick
399:Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
374:Kentville, Nova Scotia
216:
201:
160:(the first capital of
120:
977:New Year celebrations
938:Roberts, J. Michael:
683:Christiansborg Palace
663:Royal Winnipeg Rifles
608:Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
404:Medicine Hat, Alberta
359:Hubbards, Nova Scotia
178:Canadian Armed Forces
156:The historic town of
107:
20:is a social event on
940:New Year's Day Levée
825:town council minutes
693:Fictional references
655:Seaforth Highlanders
558:Thunder Bay, Ontario
503:Regina, Saskatchewan
454:Orangeville, Ontario
414:Mississauga, Ontario
364:Halifax, Nova Scotia
339:Elliot Lake, Ontario
318:Collingwood, Ontario
278:Bracebridge, Ontario
30:lieutenant governors
987:Canadian traditions
982:Military traditions
843:. December 30, 2015
777:I Went to the Levee
745:. December 31, 1915
743:L'Action Catholique
667:Le RĂ©giment de Hull
475:Pictou, Nova Scotia
464:Owen Sound, Ontario
298:Cannington, Ontario
293:Brockville, Ontario
158:Niagara-on-the-Lake
951:Moose Milk Recipes
814:. 31 January 2022.
724:. Dictionary.com.
598:Winnipeg, Manitoba
493:Port Hope, Ontario
384:Kitchener, Ontario
308:Cambridge, Ontario
288:Brantford, Ontario
232:North West Company
217:le sang du caribou
203:le sang du caribou
185:Diocese of Ontario
121:
775:Rukavina, Peter:
649:of Montreal; the
588:Waterloo, Ontario
498:Redwater, Alberta
485:Pinware, Labrador
449:Oakville, Ontario
379:Kingston, Ontario
369:Hamilton, Ontario
349:Georgina, Ontario
333:Edmonton, Alberta
283:Brampton, Ontario
242:Athabasca Journal
994:
926:
925:
923:
921:
910:
904:
899:
893:
892:
890:
888:
873:
867:
866:
859:
853:
852:
850:
848:
833:
827:
822:
816:
815:
808:
802:
797:
791:
786:
780:
773:
767:
765:New Year's Levee
761:
755:
754:
752:
750:
735:
729:
719:
593:Windsor, Ontario
573:Vaughan, Ontario
568:Trenton, Ontario
563:Toronto, Ontario
508:Rivers, Manitoba
424:Montreal, Quebec
313:Cobourg, Ontario
271:Almonte, Ontario
253:Vancouver Island
219:
206:
147:Government House
117:Mayor of Toronto
18:New Year's levée
1002:
1001:
997:
996:
995:
993:
992:
991:
962:
961:
935:
930:
929:
919:
917:
912:
911:
907:
900:
896:
886:
884:
875:
874:
870:
861:
860:
856:
846:
844:
841:Pictou Advocate
835:
834:
830:
823:
819:
810:
809:
805:
798:
794:
787:
783:
774:
770:
762:
758:
748:
746:
737:
736:
732:
720:
716:
711:
699:Neal Stephenson
695:
679:
677:Other countries
659:crĂšme de menthe
617:
615:Military levées
612:
480:Picton, Ontario
459:Oshawa, Ontario
409:Milton, Ontario
394:London, Ontario
354:Guelph, Ontario
261:
193:
102:
55:levée du soleil
38:
12:
11:
5:
1000:
990:
989:
984:
979:
974:
960:
959:
954:
948:
943:
934:
933:External links
931:
928:
927:
905:
894:
868:
854:
828:
817:
803:
792:
781:
768:
756:
730:
713:
712:
710:
707:
694:
691:
687:Danish monarch
678:
675:
665:. Members of
616:
613:
611:
610:
605:
600:
595:
590:
585:
580:
570:
565:
560:
555:
550:
545:
540:
535:
530:
525:
520:
515:
510:
505:
500:
495:
490:
487:
482:
477:
472:
466:
461:
456:
451:
446:
441:
436:
431:
426:
421:
416:
411:
406:
401:
396:
391:
386:
381:
376:
371:
366:
361:
356:
351:
346:
341:
336:
330:
325:
320:
315:
310:
305:
300:
295:
290:
285:
280:
274:
273:
268:
262:
260:
257:
192:
189:
151:Province House
101:
98:
77:, Governor of
37:
34:
24:hosted by the
22:New Year's Day
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
999:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
969:
967:
958:
955:
952:
949:
947:
944:
941:
937:
936:
915:
909:
903:
898:
883:on 2023-01-19
882:
878:
872:
864:
858:
842:
838:
832:
826:
821:
813:
807:
801:
796:
790:
785:
778:
772:
766:
760:
744:
740:
734:
727:
723:
718:
714:
706:
704:
703:Baroque Cycle
700:
690:
688:
684:
674:
672:
668:
664:
660:
656:
652:
648:
644:
640:
636:
631:
628:
626:
621:
609:
606:
604:
601:
599:
596:
594:
591:
589:
586:
584:
581:
578:
574:
571:
569:
566:
564:
561:
559:
556:
554:
551:
549:
546:
544:
541:
539:
536:
534:
531:
529:
526:
524:
521:
519:
516:
514:
511:
509:
506:
504:
501:
499:
496:
494:
491:
488:
486:
483:
481:
478:
476:
473:
470:
467:
465:
462:
460:
457:
455:
452:
450:
447:
445:
442:
440:
437:
435:
432:
430:
427:
425:
422:
420:
417:
415:
412:
410:
407:
405:
402:
400:
397:
395:
392:
390:
387:
385:
382:
380:
377:
375:
372:
370:
367:
365:
362:
360:
357:
355:
352:
350:
347:
345:
342:
340:
337:
334:
331:
329:
326:
324:
321:
319:
316:
314:
311:
309:
306:
304:
301:
299:
296:
294:
291:
289:
286:
284:
281:
279:
276:
275:
272:
269:
267:
264:
263:
256:
254:
249:
248:
243:
239:
235:
233:
227:
222:
218:
212:
210:
205:
204:
196:
188:
186:
181:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
154:
152:
148:
144:
140:
135:
131:
128:
124:
118:
114:
110:
106:
97:
95:
91:
86:
83:
80:
76:
71:
67:
63:
61:
57:
56:
51:
47:
43:
33:
31:
27:
23:
19:
953:at Cooks.com
918:. Retrieved
908:
897:
885:. Retrieved
881:the original
871:
857:
845:. Retrieved
840:
831:
820:
806:
795:
784:
771:
759:
747:. Retrieved
742:
733:
725:
717:
696:
680:
651:Atholl brose
632:
629:
622:
618:
250:
245:
241:
229:
223:
213:
197:
194:
191:Refreshments
182:
162:Upper Canada
155:
136:
132:
129:
125:
122:
94:armed forces
90:World War II
87:
84:
72:
68:
64:
53:
49:
45:
41:
39:
17:
15:
920:January 16,
847:31 December
471:until 2012
170:Fort George
100:Present day
966:Categories
887:19 January
635:moose milk
139:moose milk
79:New France
705:trilogy.
661:) of the
211:blood").
166:Navy Hall
60:Louis XIV
40:The word
226:Manitoba
109:Rob Ford
942:, 1997.
749:June 3,
722:"levee"
685:by the
653:of the
238:Simpson
209:caribou
113:Toronto
36:History
812:"Home"
779:, 2004
643:whisky
637:(with
143:eggnog
50:levÄre
28:, the
709:Notes
111:with
46:lever
42:levée
922:2024
889:2023
849:2015
751:2012
669:use
174:King
149:and
701:'s
639:rum
240:'s
236:."
968::
839:.
689:.
673:.
577:MP
207:("
16:A
924:.
891:.
865:.
851:.
753:.
141:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
.jpg)