Canadian and U.S. Holidays – What’s a Girl To Do?

So I live in Canada. And even if I’m not Canadian by birth, I’ve lived here long enough to feel Canadian.

I celebrate Canadian holidays, which, for the most part, are the same as those in my motherland, the U.S.A.

Being a ‘mercan, born and bred, I feel I have the right to celebrate the holidays of my homeland, right?

Really, it’s not much of a stretch. Canada celebrated Victoria day, or the May-2-4 weekend, as it’s commonly called here. It was last weekend.

Today is Memorial Day in the U.S. But I’m not living there. So really, I guess I shouldn’t celebrate, right? It’s a normal workday here. . .

But I think I will take the day off anyway. Because when it comes time for me to take my oath of Canadian citizenship, I want to keep my U.S. rights as well.

And I certainly don’t want to take the change that I will lose my U.S. citizenship because I didn’t follow their holiday traditions.

Yup, that settles it. X-Box 360 anyone?

Flickr Tags: U.S. holidays,canadian holidays,Memorial Day

Sunday, December 21, 2008 8:20 p.m.

The Sunday before Christ-mas. You may wonder why I hyphenate Christ-mas. If you're a believer, you know why. If you're not. . .  why do you celebrate?

What does Christmas mean to you? There are many meanings that people attribute to Christmas, and there are many reasons to celebrate, according to the world-at-large.

But here's what the deal is people: Christ-mas might be a symbolic holiday for the celebration of the birth of Christ.

I am a believer in the teachings of Christ. I believe he is all about unconditional love, about being bummed by the sin, but forgiving of the sinner.

Let's look at the meaning of unconditional love.

LOVE WITHOUT CONDITIONS; LOVE REGARDLESS OF______________ (fill the blank with your own no-way-item).

Duh.

So, no more 'if you love me you will or won't'...

No more 'I'd love you if you were or weren't'...

Love everyone. Even if you don't know them. Love doesn't have to be some over-the-top freak-fest either. There are all sorts of love - and when I use it here, I mean friend-love or family-love. Let's not start some weird kissing-random-romance-love-thing. That's just too weird.

Just assume the best about someone before (and if) they will prove you wrong. Don't see the bad in a person based only on appearance, skin colour, shoe choice, job choice; whatever idiotic prejudice you use. See the good. Choose your battles in life based on this rule - NO conditions. You'll be amazed how it will change your life.

I Don't mean to be preachy, just know what I'm talking about.

So no judgement. It's not your job.

Everyone is your friend, regardless demographic what-EVER. We're all just people.

As Avril Lavigne sings, "How does it feel to be you, are you different from me, are we the same? How does it feel?"

Anyway - practice the art of unconditional love this season and every day thereafter. I am absolutely convinced that if we could all do that - there would be no such thing as war, hunger, or homelessness. Poverty, crime and abuse would be non-existent.

Quite a concept, right?

Okay, I know I'm being sappy. Maybe it's Wynonna singing on an episode of Extreme Makeover, Home Edition. David Beckham was on, and I'm just all mushy with unconditional love for him. . . .ahem.

How to Avoid Being Eaten by the Holiday Greed Monsters

So the season is upon us. White and crisp and Decembery, Christmas is only a few weeks away.

Suddenly, I hate going to the grocery store, the mall, or any other place that is stacked with consumers who are head deep in gifts for their loved ones, their credit card balances growing while their bank account is shrinking.

This is the most wonderful time of the year? Really?

What is it about the holiday season that sends most of us into a shopping tizzy? Why do we go crazy like this every single year? Stressing over who to buy for, what to buy, how much to spend and will they even like it? Should I get gift receipts with everything?

Gift receipts. It’s a cop-out. Getting a gift receipt with a present is like an admittance of guilt from the gift giver. A gift receipt says I-really-didn’t-know-what-you-wanted-and-I-know-you’ll-hate-this-so-here’s-the-receipt-you’re-going-to-ask-for-anyway-to-go-buy-what-you-really-wanted.

And the people that it’s hard to shop for? How many headaches do we need to ‘prove’ our love or kinship by buying as many gifts as our pocketbooks can possibly handle? And really, how do you know that your gifts are re-gift proof?

Here’s what I think.

The holiday season started in order to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Christ was born in a stable. Every one should get hay for Christmas to remember that.

Three kings came to visit the newborn babe. And sure, they brought gifts fit for a king, but still, Jesus was a newborn. If we’re going to remember the reason for the season, everyone should get diapers, wipes and a couple of baby bottles, wrapped in smelly barn hay or something.

The kings each brought ONE gift. Just one. So Jesus received three presents in total. Four if you count the little drummer boy’s ode to the newborn King.

So let me ask you this. If Jesus only got three presents, and it’s His birthday, what on earth makes any of us think we deserve more than that? In fact, what makes us think we deserve anything at all?

How about if we all trim back this year? Let’s not go into massive debt to please those we love with material shows of affection. Let me ask you this. What present do you like better, the one you expect, or the one that someone brought you because they thought of you, and there’s no special day to mark the gift?

Exactly.

Three presents. Start a trend. Crash the economy. Teach your children, your teenagers. It’s not about the amount, or the value of the gift. Demands are out this Christmas. Tantrums and gift receipts, OUT.

This year, let’s only buy 3 gifts – and when you’re looked at with eyes of suspicion, eyes of disbelief that the present pile isn’t higher, ask yourself and the person looking at you with expectant eyes what they want, what they’re waiting for.

Chances are, they’ll say nothing. I mean really, who will admit they are waiting for more presents? And if they do ask?

Blame it on me. Tell them some silly writer said that nobody should get more than three presents because that’s all Jesus got.

Yeah, let them argue with that.

Merry shopping everyone. Here’s to crashing the economy even more  (but at least it will be our fault this time) and making a new meaning for the holidays and Christmas season.

Peace, joy and unconditional love.