On the second day of Christmas... polar bear

On the second day of Christmas Pandora gave to me... a polar bear charm... and a clear cz pavé lights charm.

The polar bear, on my Christmas cards this year, is the quintessential symbol of Canada. The polar bear dangle reminds me that if I want to beat the winter blues I need to embrace living in The Great White North.

Bob and Doug McKenzie of The Great White North on SCTV

Although the term "The Great White North" is used in reference to Canada, for most Canadians, at least those in my generation, the term brings to mind the characters Bob and Doug McKenzie. When I was in high school there was a TV show called SCTV (Second City Television) - sort of Canada's equivalent to Saturday Night Live. The premise of SCTV was the broadcast day of a fictitious TV station with sketches featuring the likes of John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Catherine O'Hara. One of the sketches was called "The Great White North," and was a parody on Canadian stereotypes, with these characters played by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas, dim-witted beer-swilling brothers, who wear parkas and tuques, and frequently ended their sentences with "Eh?"

YouTube video of The Great White North with Bob and Doug McKenzie.

But seriously, I have always loved polar bears. One of the things I have always wanted to do was go to Churchill, Manitoba and take photos of polar bears in their natural habitat.

The polar bear charm reminds me that I need to accept the reality of life in Canada - including long, cold and snowy winters - embrace it, and enjoy it as best I can. As for photographing polar bears, I have put that on my "Bucket List." In the meantime I'll enjoy some polar bears that I keep around the house - on a shelf, on the Christmas tree, and on my bracelet.

My brother worked in Northern Canada for a time and brought me back this polar bear sculpture made by a young Inuit boy

I bought this polar bear tree ornament when we were in New York City when my husband ran in the marathon in 1996

Winter 2015

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