'Tis the Season

Bought a Christmas Tree today. (am I allowed to say that?)

Yes I am....but let's face it "our holidays are changing".  (or are they?)

I actually find it interesting how people are getting so upset, because their "traditions" are being compromised.

For example:

• Merry Christmas? or Happy Holidays? or "Best of the Season"? Happy Hanukkah!
• Christmas Concert or Holiday Celebration.
• Christmas Tree or Holiday Tree.

There "seems" to be more rules surrounding this time of year. Where are these rules coming from. Are they real, or are they imagined.

Get this - I heard this week that Santa will not be at the Eaton Centre this year. Can it be true?!

Lately I hear people all over the place complaining how "their" traditions are being changed. Why are they doing this and why are they doing that. I find it interesting, and also a little bit disturbing.

ok, now to get up on my soap box and give my opinion.

I live in Canada. More specifically I live in the very best country in the entire world.

DO YOU THINK THAT IS A SECRET?!!

 No, it is not. A lot of people know that Canada is an amazing place to live. The secret got out a long time ago. Guess what? When people found that out, they wanted to move here. Go figure. When we hear about great restaurants or great movies or great vacation spots...we usually go if we can. If we like it...we go back.

Canada is all about immigration and has been for a very long time. People want to come here...and we want and need them to come. We are an incredibly culturally diverse country, and believe me, this is a good thing. But...(you knew this was coming)....but...some people seem to have an opinion that if somebody from another country comes to our country...then they should change.

I have heard this said many times. "you are in our country now, so you need to adapt to the way we do things, and believe what we believe".

Have you heard that? (or something like that?) Have you said that? It is a ridiculous statement. Look at it this way, if I decided to move to another country, for any reason...and I decided to live there...I would like to hold on to "my belief system", It is what I know. It is who I am.

Our schools and other institutions are faced with challenges that we never ever faced before. Not everyone celebrates Christmas. That is a fact. Don't get mad at that. Understand it. They are not trying to change the way you believe, they are trying to adapt to a new way of looking at things.

So Relax. Please!

Nothing has changed in my traditions. We put up the Christmas tree today, put out some lights and played some Christmas songs. It was a nice afternoon. It is our tradition.

Let others celebrate their traditions too. No matter where they are from.

Merry Christmas. ( I know it is early)

And just to make sure that this remains a "sports blog" - Guess what. Basketball is back. First NBA game is on Christmas Day. You have to love it. Ho Ho Ho.