Boxing Day - it's a Canadian thing

Another day of Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with their family. I sure did. Way too much food, lots of laughs with family and Santa definitely spoiled all of us. Today, I will be celebrating Boxing Day with my family. No we are aren't going to pull out the gloves and go after each other, and no it's not the day that we pack up all of our Christmas decor.

Boxing Day is an English holiday, and is celebrated by Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, and the United Kingdom. I've been told the the purpose for the holiday was a long time ago, landlords and the wealthy would fill boxes, that the peasants had placed outside of their homes, with food and gifts. Today, I am pretty sure not many people realize the true meaning behind Boxing Day, and do one of three things to celebrate:

1. Use it as a second day of Christmas (my family will be headed south to spend Boxing Day with my dad's side of the family. Christmas was spent with my mom's side of the family.)

2. Boxing Day is like the U.S.'s Black Friday. So I am sure there were hundreds of people lined up at stores this morning to score deals.

3. Hockey. The IIHF World Junior Hockey Tournament is currently taking place in Boston, New York. The Canadian team always has a game on Boxing Day. So as my family gathers around to eat our second Christmas Dinner we'll also be cheering on Team Canada as they take on Russia. (p.s. as a side note 66% of the all the tickets to the ENTIRE tournament have been sold to Canadians. I think the tournament should really just be held in Canada every year. Just saying.)

What will your family be doing today?

High Country Cattle, Yellowfail and the Olympics

Just a quick note...

So I realized today that Old Man Winter plans on sticking around for as long as possible. It was COLD out today, and I got to feel it firsthand as we wrapped up the 2010 K-State Legacy Bull Sale video.

Calving is going well at home Dad says I have a cracker jack of a bull calf. I am just happy for an alive calf. My luck hasn't been so hot the past couple of years. You can see some of the new calves on my parents blog. I can't wait to get home in March to see the new babies.

If you are looking for your Agriculture Advocacy intake for the day you might check out the facebook group Yellowfail. This fan page was created in response to Yellowtail's $100,000 donation to HSUS (an anti-agriculture group, that uses homeless dogs and kitty cats as their front). Remember to stop buying Yellowtail wine products, and support a Canadian or U.S. winery.

And p.s. if you haven't figured it out yet the Olympics are on! My sister has been doing a great job of recapping the Olympics each day on her blog. I wore my bright red CANADA shirt to work on Friday. I can't wait for the men's hockey to start, the women are so far crushing their opponents! And I was super pumped/proud to watch Alexandre Bilodeu claim the gold medal in moguls for Canada. It was our first gold of the games, and the first gold win for a Canada on home turf.

Understand this - it's in my blood.

3 days and counting...

So I am a little shocked, I don't think anyone stateside knows what HUGE event will be taking place next week. On February 12, the 2010 Olympics will be kicking off, in my homeland nevertheless. And furthermore it means game time for Canada's hockey teams.

I think it's hard for some people to understand, but the love of hockey runs in my veins. Miss South Dakota and R3 (the roommates) have already poked fun at my passion, and are aware it could be a long couple of weeks. I don't watch hockey every week, I can't even tell you who is leading the Western Conference in the NHL right now, but when I get a chance to watch a game there is just something that makes my heart race.

I immediately picked up this weeks Sports Illustrated because of the Olympics on the cover, and inside I found the story that pretty much sums up what hockey means to Canadians. The first story "Destiny's Child" by S.L. Price, talks about Sidney Crosby, who hopefully will be Canada's fearful leader all the way to the gold metal podium. I love this quote.

"Crosby isn't just the center, figuratively and literally, of Team Canada. He's the defender of the faith." - Don Cherry

The second story, "Canada Obsessed," by Michael Farber, discusses Canada and their absolute passion that has been leading up to the 2010 Olympics. In 2006 we didn't make it pass Russia in the quarterfinals. This year the expectations have risen.

"If the home team doesn't win hockey gold, much of the nation will mourn the Games as a failure."

"The only color that counts is gold." 

For Christmas my dad took me to my first NHL game ever. Oilers vs. the Flames, "the battle of Alberta." Within 20 seconds we scored, and the next face-off led to a fight center ice. Nothing like being fours lefts to the right of the goal, and two seats behind the glass.

My team. 

Nothing like a good ole hockey fight. 

Don't forget to enter the free giveaway draw. I'll select a winner on Thursday!

Hockey - Twitter, Streaming Internet, and a little Facebook

This goes to show I am truly Canadian


Last night there was a fairly big game on TV - the World Junior Hockey Championship Gold Medal Game! However, due to a lack on interest in the sport by my fine Midwest American friends, I couldn't find it anywhere. And then Social Media came to the rescue. I posted a message on my Facebook profile that I would love to receive updates from any of those that were getting to watch the game. Quickly suggestions of a Twitter page that was giving updates, a website that was streaming the game live - for FREE - and a little Facebook chat with my Facebook friends and sister came pouring in. The day was saved, and I got to  blissfully watch the game - Canada vs. the USA.

Now I am pretty sure I scared my roommate Miss South Dakota to death with my fits of excitement and then disappointment. As R3 said Miss South Dakota has probably never seen me with my game face on. After three periods the game was tied and was sent into a 20 minute 4 on 4 overtime (R3 said I was confusing her with my hockey talk!) The outcome sadly was a USA win. However, my classy Canadians still applauded the USA as the did the tradition jump into a pile celebration. It was one of the most exciting hockey games I have seen in awhile. Now bring on the Olympics!

Photo courtesy of Canadian Press.