Embrace the beauty of the season

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/12/2019 (2476 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DEAR READERS: It’s that Yuletide time of year again! I’m thinking warmly of you and hoping everything goes as well as possible with Christmas, Hanukkah and all other family gatherings.

I’ve only spent one year away from snowy Manitoba at this time of year. Although it was fun to be away in the Dominican Republic, it only felt like Christmas for an evening, after the beach day was over.

My travelling friend and I went to a fun dinner with a bunch of new acquaintances — sailing people from around the world.

They wanted to know all about our celebrations “being so close to the North Pole,” so we spun them some yarns about igloos and reindeer parked outside.

Truthfully, it made me feel a little homesick.

I missed family and friends and the snow. But, the next day, it was over — and back to the beach. Shortest Christmas of my life! That’s the thing about it: you can make the holidays short or long.

It’s an emotional time of year. If your Christmas is great (I’m happy for you) — spread it out.

If it isn’t good this year, start the days right after with a celebration of winter, embracing the magic of living “near the North Pole” in our beautiful, snowy world.

The skiing and snowboarding resorts are open now, as are the tobogganing hills.

The Forks offers free skating and music, and the Canad Inns Winter Wonderland light show at Red River Exhibition Park is simply dazzling — and you can drive through it leisurely in a warm vehicle. Lots of fun around us!

So, here’s hoping you have a happy holiday, but if it’s less than what you hoped, embrace Manitoba’s winter beauty and all the exciting winter activities available, and turn it into something memorable.

 

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: My grandmother is coming for Christmas dinner and I’m 21. I’m in charge of watering down her drinks so she doesn’t fall in her dinner like last year.

My mom said, “If anyone can do it, you can!” Oh, great. I’m her favourite grandson and I’m not sure how to handle this: saying ‘no’ to her constant demands for liquor to be brought to her.

She’s “insecure” and tends to get bombed in a big crowd, and our family is quite big now with babies and all. Grandma is hardly the star of the show.

Please advise on how to get her through the evening, without her being an embarrassment again.

— Grandma’s Sitter, St. Boniface

 

Dear Sitter: Embrace this challenge! Grandma needs love and attention. If she’s left to her own devices and feels old, left out or unrecognized, she’s going to drink to fill the void.

You can cut her drinking by half, by just sitting next to her and even putting your arm around her casually at some point, if she’s the affectionate type.

Tell the cousins that each one has to take a turn to be present and to talk to grandma.

Enlist a sibling to usher people over. Pop a low chair or stool in front, and get it all flowing. Start each intro with “You remember (so-and-so),” and then talk about how he or she is related and what they’re good at — school subjects, sports, dancing, the arts — and get a conversation rolling with grandma.

Don’t take off — unless things are going swimmingly. And even then, don’t stay away long.

Ask the aunties to keep on passing the appetizers so grandma isn’t drinking on an empty stomach.

Your goal is to make it the most social holiday party of your grandmother’s life!

She may be too busy and happy to over-drink, and make another unfortunate landing in her dinner. (By the way, insist on being her dinner partner, and keep an eye on that wine!)

Everyone will feel much more comfortable at this dinner and the credit will go to you for being a great guy.

I bet you and your cousins will also feel closer to your grandmother as you take part in real conversations with her. Good luck!

Please send your questions and comments to lovecoach@hotmail.com or Miss Lonelyhearts c/o the Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6.