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The break can be broken up into three phases: family, camping, and ennui. (I like using obscure words.)

We hosted the extended-family winter gatherings this year, so things were hectic from the start. My mom had her annual Christmas stress, though it seemed much less severe this year than last. I got to see much of my extended family, including those I barely recognize. Overall, I quite like my family. We’re good people.

Special note: we did our annual Globe and Mail Christmas crossword, but Scrabble seems to have been replaced by backgammon as the game of choice these days.

I went snowshoeing with Drew up in Prince Albert National Park. It was the least-organized trip we’ve done to date. Most of the planning for the trip was done the day before we left, on Boxing Day. We tried calling the park without success (their phone message says they should be in, but later we discovered that winter hours are very much different). I was lacking a proper winter jacket and we still needed to rent showshoes. Upon discovering that our favorite local outdoors store was closed for the day, we decided to stop by the Prince Albert store on our way to the park. Fortunately they were open, had decent inventory, and had snowshoes available to rent. Otherwise we’d have been screwed, proper. Of all the possible problems, none resulted from hasty planning. For example, the morning we left I managed to put my underwear on backwards and didn’t realize it until the next day. I was up at 5:30am, cut me some slack.

The actual snowshoeing experience was, in a word, cold. Snowshoes are definitely the way to go for winter camping, though. Because the trails weren’t made for winter camping, we got a little turned around and ended up snowshoing along the outside of the frozen Lake Kingsmere. We could see and hear wolves playing further out on the ice, but they kept their distance.

I feel a few awards are due:

• The “Best Last-Minute Purchase” Award goes to my North Face Redpoint Optimus Jacket. It did a wonderful job keeping me warm. Well, keeping my upper body warm at any rate.
• The “Most Wonderful But Small Thing I Almost Didn’t Bring” Award goes to my neckwarmer. I was so very glad I brought it. I was amazing.
• The “Thing I’m Definitely Bringing Next Time” Award goes to the full-length sleeping mattress I left in my basement. The three-quarter-length foam pad I brought ensured a cold Aidan.
• The “Smartest Idea Drew’s Had In Years” Award goes to Drew’s hot-water-bottle-in-the-sleeping-bag. Enough said.
• The “Well, We Always Lose At Least One Piece Of Equipment” Award goes to half of my pair of Wigwam 40° Below socks. They insulate well enough that I didn’t realize they were melting until I saw smoke. Darn fire.
• The “Stupid Piece of Crap” Award goes to my Tatanka gaiters. Last year the clasp broke the first time I used them, and I had them replaced. The first time I used the new pair (this trip) and the zipper broke. I’m not going to bother trying to get them replaced, because I’m going to replace them with a pair of MEC gaiters regardless.

After we got back from camping, things got much more boring. New Year’s Eve was spent with my parents and older sister. Many friends have already left Regina. My two main activities at present are playing World of Warcraft and trying to finish The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I just yesterday found out why his last name is “X”. I’m hoping to read more books next semester, but I doubt it’ll happen.

And finally, a little story I have. On my flight to Regina, I discovered that normal people actually say “Happy Holidays” now instead of the “Merry Christmas” I had expected. I feel that this non-denominational greeting is kind of silly for two reasons. Firstly, modern Christmas is basically a secular tradition. For me, it’s simply a celebration of friends and family. For many people, Christmas is no more religious than marriage. Heck, the Santa Clause we know originates from a Coke ad campaign. Secondly, I would not be in the least insulted if someone were to wish me a happy Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Festivus, or any other religious celebration (winter and not). After all, it’s the thought that counts.