Merry Christmas to All

It is one of my favourite times again, the winter holiday season. I love Christmas time, and having a little girl who is truly experiencing it for the first time is adding so much of the magic again. Yes, last year Barbara was happy to have presents to unwrap, but she is really getting into the swing of things this year. She loves the rocking polar bear that moves as "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" plays, she recognizes Santa, she loves the German Christmas cookies I got at the Edelweiss Village, she thinks all Christmas lights are "pretty", and she enjoys reading the nativity books Heather bought for her. It brings much joy to my heart to see her pure innocence and happiness that this season is bringing. It truly is a joyful time.

To be honest, I have also found Christmas this year to be more hectic than usual. I'm not sure how it happened or why. Maybe it's because I'm getting older and I am finding that my own pace is a wee bit slower than I would like to remember. Maybe it is the extra things that I added onto my plate this year. Maybe it's that little bundle of energy that learned to take her first few steps a few months ago and has been running around ever since. Regardless of which I need to take some time to remember the real reasons that make this time special for me.

For me, Christmas has mostly been about family. As mine is growing (just under five months for the newest little Andrews to enter the world) I find that I must make the most of family not just during these festive times but all year long. I plan on avoiding the stereotype of a father who does not have time for his kids or wife. My best memories of Christmas past has always included family. The great food my mother used to make was often made with us kids. Buying the right gift for a brother or sister was always a careful ordeal. Having the entire family together for Mom's last Christmas was so very important, even though we did not know that it would be her last. It is one of the many blessings that I found looking back that we were able to do that for her. Since Heather has entered my life there have been many great Christmas memories with more family. I realise that many of us look back with a bit of hurt and pain at Christmas memories with family no longer with us. I volunteer at Zoo Lights, and this past Friday I spoke to a woman who was at the wishing tree. She said her family felt she was foolish writing down a wish that she knew she couldn't receive. She lost her son six years ago and wanted him back. She slipped away before I could say much more than I was sorry for her loss. I wanted to give her a hug from her son. I hope someone else will be able to do that for her.

Christmas has also been about looking for the best in things and people. It is about reaching out to those that are all around us with a smile, a hug, a helping hand, a donation, or just a listening ear. It is about going a little out of your way to perform a small act of kindness. It is about finding that little bit of forgiveness to someone who wronged us that we just have been thus far unable or unwilling to give. Christmas is to bring about joy to the world through our actions and our words. It is about bring to pass the peace on Earth and goodwill to men that we sing about but often do little to comprehend. There is love and sweetness that should be woven into the fabric of this holiday season if we are to truly to get the most out of it.

Yes, I have some silly Christmas traditions. I now own every single Muppet Christmas special (although I cannot find the disc for the Muppet Christmas Carol for some reason) that exists, including the before ever elusive Muppet Family Christmas. I cannot have a good Christmas without some lebkuchen, of which now that I know where the prime place in Calgary to acquire them will ever be a staple again. I need to listen to as many parodies of the 12 Days of Christmas I can find (my favourites being the 12 Pains of Christmas and the classic Mackenzie Brother version). That's all well and fine. At the end of the day (or the season as it were), I offer in my Top Ten List the Ten Most Important Traditions of Christmas.

10. Give a little something to those who serve you. There are many ways to do this. I personally try to give a little something to the people in retail and the service industry at this time. Those three-pack Lindt truffles are just about perfect for that. I try to make sure I always have some when I am Christmas shopping and then leave one behind when I make a purchase.

9. Give back to the community. For me, this is where Zoo Lights comes in, but it can include supporting any charity or non-profit organization. It includes shoveling sidewalks for neighbours and strangers.

8. Singing traditional Christmas carols/hymns. Yes, "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" are fun, but they would all be meaningless if there hadn't been that "Silent Night" where that special child was found "Away in a Manger". When I buy a Christmas album, there must be a few of those songs on it. If they are all party-type fun stuff with no mention of Christ, then it just is not for me.

7. Ward Christmas party. I have been fortunate enough to go almost every year. My church family is so integral to the success that I have had that I relish the opportunity to celebrate an important event with them. The fact that there is usually a great turkey dinner involved is great too.

6. Talking to strangers. Totally in the face of what my elementary teachers taught me, but this means offering a friendly hello and Merry Christmas to those around us.

5. Respecting all holidays, regardless of religion. I made a special effort this year to recognize the religious and cultural holidays and observances of many faiths. I know that there are many people who are not Christian, and while this is a country that was created largely by Christian people, it was created for all people of all belief, even if that belief is none at all. I make no apologies for wishing people a Merry Christmas, but there is no reason to pass along a desire for people to have a Happy Chanukah or a Habari Gani.

4. Forgiveness. We need to find forgiveness in our hearts, for He is willing to forgive us. This includes finding forgiveness for ourselves. We can give ourselves a gift in allowing us to move beyond the mistakes that we make.

3. Tell my wife how much she means to me. Yeah, this is a year long goal, but Christmas includes gift giving, and every day she gives me love, understanding, acceptance, support, peace, joy, and my children. She brings out the best in me and completes my life.

2. Spend time with family. I hope my children will be able to look back when I'm gone and be able to say that I was always there for them, not just at Christmas  but always. I hope the activities that we turn into traditions will be fond memories for them.

1. Keep the first six letters in Christmas the main focus.

A last little gift to you all, one of my favourite more modern Christmas songs.

Of Birthdays and Water

What a week. Last Thursday, amid all the rain that we have had this year, parts of the province started flooding. It began in Banff and Canmore, then on Friday it hit Calgary, High River, and area. Dad and Violet were in Spray Lakes managing their camp site. They were able to phone me and let me know that they had an opportunity to be airlifted to Canmore, but that they were in a safe location with plenty of food and fuel to last them a couple weeks. They did not have a place to take the animals (2 dogs and 2 cats) to, so they chose to weather the storm (pun intended). By Saturday night, almost 10% of Calgary neighbourhoods had been evacuated, as had much of the other communities mentioned. The zoo was flooded, and they lost one peacock and their piranha and tilapia fish.  Downtown Calgary was under water, and schools were closed. Diploma exams were made optional, and all finals were cancelled. It was a crazy time here.

Dad and Violet were contacting me daily from the pay phone. They were eventually airlifted, with the pets, to the Nakota Resort east of Canmore Sunday morning, so I was able to go and get them. They are borrowing our Ford Focus for the time being while they wait to be able to get back to the campsite and collect their motor home and van. So far there have been 4 deaths related to the flood, all in the High River/ Okotoks area. One was a father of six, who died when his ATV flipped as he was riding to check on his neighbours. Waters have receded, most Calgarians are back in their homes, and the long clean up process has begun.

This challenging week has left me with many thoughts. First and foremost, I am grateful that the losses incurred, especially the loss of life, were not nearly as bad as they could have been. I grieve with those who were are dealing with the loss of a loved one, but rejoice that there were only a handful. I am disappointed in the actions of some vandals, looters, and stores who started gouging their customers (including the Travel Lodge at the airport which doubled their rates overnight because of the flood - guess which hotel I am asking people to boycott). Mostly, however, I am so proud of my fellow Calgarians and Albertans for the supreme acts of charity, service, and strength that are being demonstrated. People are being patient as we come together to help clean up. Countless have opened their homes for those forced out. Edmonton and other communities are sending support in supplies, money, military, RCMP and police officers, firefighters, and so much more. Our mayor, Nehed Nenshi, has been a superstar and an amazing leader during this whole time. He has led with such compassion, wisdom, strength, and common sense. He won my vote before this all happened, but he has won the hearts of Calgarians and Albertans now, and he deserves it. Let us hope that as the flood waters move east, that they will dissipate and all will be prepared.

On a happier note, birthdays this week! Little Barbara turns 1 tomorrow, I turn a year older the next day, and both of Barbara's grandfathers have birthdays (26th and 29th). As I look back on this last year, I am so blessed to have this little angel in my life. Fatherhood has been such an amazing adventure, and she is so precious to me. I am so thankful for her mother and my wife, Heather, for all she does for our family. I can't wait to see what the next year will bring.

I am tired, so I will do a quick Top Ten List. As I prepare for the Vegas Convention in August, I give you my Top Ten favorite Trek Characters:
10. Morn. The brown lumpy alien in Quark's bar that I actually had a small hand in naming.
9. The Doctor from Voyager. we met Robert Picardo at Spock Days in Vulcan a few weeks ago, and he was great. The Doctor was a wonderful character who showed great depth. Mostly, he was a very pleasant surprise. I thought I would hate a holographic character. Who knew?
8. Shran. The Andorian from Enterprise played wonderfully by Jeffery Combs just made the show so much fun when he was guest starring.
7. Geordi La Forge. I loved this character because he showed that handicaps are only what we make of them. Plus, only in Trek can a blind man fly the flagship.
6. Scotty. Yes, my ancestry has something to do with this. I loved his humor and wit, plus his genius.
5. Q. My favourite TV villain. His cocky attitude and impish wit made him a favourite, and I wonder if he is truly a villain.
4. Jake Sisko. By far the most realistic child character on the series. He was one that I identified most with, and found to be the most human.
3. Benjamin Sisko. My favourite captain. He was a diplomat, a soldier, an officer, a father, and an explorer. He was the ultimate leader.
2. Kes. My deepest Trek crush. Often ignored by many top ten lists for "Hottest Trek Babe", but she was as  beautiful on the inside as on the outside.
1. Miles O'Brien. The everyday man who does his job and then goes home to his family. This guy is the one who  Iidentify the most with.

Honorable mentions go out to (in no particular order) Picard, Data, Phlox, Kirk, Sulu, McCoy, Quark, Odo, Ezri, Vic Fontaine, Neelix, Archer, and Porthos the Beagle.